Once again, Barcelona are out of the Champions League before playing the final. The Spanish giants, despite being among the most likely candidates to win the European tournament, were eliminated by Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals despite winning 2-1 in the second leg played in Madrid on Tuesday.
For Hansi Flick and his team, this is the second elimination in a row after the exciting semifinal loss to Inter last season. It also exposes deeper issues, as the Blaugrana once again fall short of the final, once again seeing a red card with Eric Garcia picking one up in the second leg for a challenge from behind.
Their last final appearance was the 3–1 victory over Juventus in 2015 under Luis Enrique, and since then, they only reached the semifinals twice during the 2018-19 season and last year. While Flick is getting closer to winning his second LaLiga title in a row, their focus ahead of the new season should definitely be more on the European success, but what must change to avoid another disappointment?
Barcelona are playing really entertaining soccer under the German manager, who was able to completely change the ideas and the attitude of the squad, also thanks to the outstanding performances of Lamine Yamal, the star of this team. Barcelona play an aggressively attacking style, prioritizing their build-ups through possession and committing as many players forward as possible instead of their defense. This approach is linked with a very high defensive line that leaves them exposed to significant risks if their rivals are able to counterattack them. This is an approach that most of the time works in their domestic league, but so far has shown more issues when it comes to the European matches.
Barcelona’s semifinals played against Inter last year showed even more their European struggles compared to this year’s elimination, as Atletico Madrid really gained their advantage in the first game played at the Spotify Camp Nou. Flick can count on a roster full of talented players and Yamal is the one making the difference, as with the goal scored against Atletico Madrid, he reached 20 goal contributions, becoming the youngest player in Champions League history to do so. When you have a talent like Yamal, everything seems possible, but they shouldn’t just rely on his talent to make that kind of step.
So, what should Barcelona do?
Should they change their tactical approach at least for some specific Champions League matches? It’s unlikely to change, as Flick has always been consistent in his approach. He’s the type of coach who would rather lose playing his own way than compromise his tactical principles to win; otherwise, he might have taken the lesson from the 2025 semifinal loss to Inter. This is their biggest dilemma: a team with big ambitions still looking for the balance between attacking style and pragmatism on Europe’s biggest stage, something that Atletico Madrid gained over the years under Diego Simeone.
Atletico Madrid offer a clear example of how a tactical approach can evolve over time, even if Simeone’s philosophy differs significantly from that of the German coach. Since the Argentinian took over in 2011, his methods and tactical ideas shifted a lot, even if his charisma and mentality remained unchanged. In recent years, Atletico Madrid have undergone significant changes, from the club’s leadership to the playing squad. It’s not clear how long Simeone will be in charge of this team, as he’s yet to win the Champions League with the Colchoneros, despite playing two finals in 2014 and 2016, both times losing to Real Madrid in Lisbon and in Milan. But they’ve been to the final and in contention more than Barca.
Despite the revolutions, they have consistently remained the only side capable of truly challenging both Real Madrid and Barcelona in the league, something that was unthinkable 15 years ago when a banner from the Real Madrid fans showed, “Looking for a worthy rival for the derby.”
Now they are consistently doing it, into the last four and with a clear identity. Two things Barca still lack as their continental trophy case gathers dust.
