Looking back is always positive. It helps you have a more realistic view of your present, valuing it based on what your expectations were some time ago. In the context of Barcelona, this exercise is mandatory to appreciate what Hansi Flick's team is achieving. Without a crystal ball, it's impossible to predict how the season will end, whether the Barça fan will be celebrating something by May or, on the contrary, will face disappointment again, closing another year in the saddest way. But as of today, with February already underway, many FC Barcelona fans, if not all, would have signed up with their eyes closed for the current scenario at the beginning of August, where the blaugrana team is aspiring to everything.
Let's rewind then. Just before the curtain rose on the 2024/25 season, with a Valencia - Barça match that was not supposed to be an easy league start by any means, things didn't look too good for Flick's team. Kylian Mbappé had landed in the capital, clearly strengthening the current League and Champions champion. Nico Williams had turned down Laporta, prioritizing staying at Athletic rather than joining the Barcelona ranks. Dani Olmo's signing was achieved, but the former RB Leipzig player was not going to be available for the first official matches. Monaco took the Gamper with a 0-3 that made any blaugrana fan's legs tremble. And if that wasn't enough, Lamine Yamal's father was stabbed in Rocafonda, something that should have destabilized Barça's young star. That's quite something.
But sometimes, fortunately, the worse things look, the better they turn out. Flick has proven to be a huge success, implementing a recognizable, attractive, and effective play style in the team in record time. Players who were previously questioned are offering their best version, with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha leading the way. The young players are only young according to their ID, as Cubarsí, Lamine, Casadó, or Gavi show an unusual maturity for their age on the field. Even Ter Stegen's absence, which seemed like a tragedy, is not as painful as anticipated.
In six months, Barça has had time to tour Europe, coming just one goal short of finishing first in the new Champions format, defeating teams like Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, or Benfica. They have thrashed Real Madrid twice, with a 0-4 and a 5-2 that have delighted Barça fans. They won a Super Cup that was approached with a more than tense locker room atmosphere. They remain alive in the League and Copa del Rey, where the coming weeks could determine the season's fate. And they have consolidated a new idol for Barcelona fans, Lamine Yamal, who has the entire international football scene captivated and with good reason. Looking back, things didn't look good, but 180 days later, fortunately, the present is very different from what was feared.