LA LIGA TROPHY RETURNS TO BARCELONA

 

Image Credit- FC Barcelona

In May 2019, FC Barcelona lifted their 26th La Liga title. Since then, a lot many things changed in Catalonia. In the following season FC Barcelona failed to defend their La Liga title as Real Madrid came from the back to win the league. In the beginning of the season, it appeared that they would defend their league title easily, but after the covid lockdown their performance went downhill which helped Real Madrid make a comeback. It is pertinent to note that this season also marked the departure of their start striker Luis Suarez from the club. 

The performance of the 2019-20 season got repeated again the 2020-21 season as FC Barcelona started off very well but crashed down at the very last moment and ended up 3rd in the league. However, unlike the 2019-20 season they did not go trophyless this time as they won the Copa Del Rey.  

The 2021-22 season started in the worst possible manner as their legend Lionel Messi left the club after 2 decades. This was followed by the most disastrous start in their history. They got eliminated from the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and it appeared that they will not even qualify for next season's Champions League. However, this is when the Cules appointed Xavi as their manager, and he turned the club upside down. The Cules finished 2nd in the league and gave hope to their fans that next season is going to be a special one. 

And what a season it turned out to be. They performed consistently throughout the season and won the 27th La Liga title after a gap of 4 years. Apart from the La Liga title, they also lifted the Spanish Cup which made it a memorable season for all their fans. Furthermore, it also marked the perfect farewell of their star footballer Sergio Busquets who will be now leaving the club in the summer of 2023. 

The happiness is back in Barcelona and so are the new challenges. They have conquered Spain at last. Will they conquer Europe next season? The answer lies in the womb of time. 

THE WAIT IS FINALLY OVER

 

Image Credit- Euro Sport

On May 4, 2023, S.S.C. Napoli played a draw with Udinese. This draw gave them the most valuable point in the history of the club. This one point ensured that Napoli are now officially the champions of Italy. The wait of 33 years finally came to an end. It was in the year 1990 when they last lifted the Serie A title under the legendary Diego Maradona. Since then they struggled to lift this coveted trophy. Yes, they did come close on a few occasions but failed to lift it everytime. 

However, 2022-23 season was different. The club played some top-class football throughout the season. Yes, they did get knocked out from the UCL and the Coppa Italia, but their form in Serie A remained intact. They gave strong performance entire season and are now the champions of Italy. 

It's time for celebration in Naples. But it will be interesting to see that whether they will be able to replicate their performance in the next season. Furthermore, we also need to see whether this team can remain intact after the summer transfer window. A lot of questions surround the future of Napoli Football Club. But, for the time being they can all celebrate. Afterall, they have achieved something for which they should be proud of.