Bayern Munich, for years, was FC Barcelona’s Bestia Negra, the Black Beast, the German giant that even Barca couldn’t conquer.
Spanish media coined the term as Champions League defeats accumulated, and leant in as Barcelona fell away from its early-2010s best.
The Catalan club had bumbled through the final years of the Lionel Messi era. Hindered by financial troubles and political upheaval, it had slipped into a shortsighted, seemingly precarious state. It spent most of the past five seasons languishing below soccer’s elite. It won La Liga only once during that period. It couldn’t progress past the Champions League quarters. And five consecutive beatdowns by Bayern — by scores of 8-2, 3-0, 3-0, 2-0, 3-0 — epitomized its decline.
So it was fitting that, on Wednesday, a beatdown of Bayern became the best proof yet of Barca’s resurgence.
The Blaugrana beat Bayern 4-1 in the Champions League’s first phase, and showcased the dynamic soccer that has them atop La Liga — ahead of this season’s first Clásico, Saturday at Real Madrid.
They showcased it in the very first minute Wednesday at their temporary home stadium, Montjuïc. Raphinha, whose place in the team once felt like evidence of Barca’s decay, finished off a slick, energetic move with his first of three goals on the night.
On the balance of play, Barca wasn’t three goals or worlds better than Bayern. Harry Kane had a goal disallowed by a marginal offside. Bayern bombarded the Barca back line with attack after attack throughout a breakneck first half.
But by the second half, olés were ringing.
And Barca was indeed better — than Bayern, and than any other Barca team of the 2020s.
Its white-hot start in La Liga is proof that Wednesday wasn’t a fluke. And Wednesday was proof that the La Liga form, mostly produced against lesser opposition, is sustainable.
Barcelona doesn’t just stand tall in first place, three points ahead of Real Madrid. It has already bagged 33 goals. Robert Lewandowski — scorer of the (fortunate) second goal against Bayern — has already scored 12 in the league, and 15 in all competitions.
Lewandowski is the head of a multi-faceted beast that, on paper, doesn’t look all that different from last season’s. Its results, though, have been. Most of its victories have been deserved and comprehensive. Its Expected Goal differential is already +15.2, more than six goals better than any other La Liga team.
Barca made only one offseason signing, Dani Olmo. But its famed academy has churned out another wave of youngsters who are propelling this turnaround: forward Lamine Yamal (17), midfielders Marc Casadó (21) and Pedri (21), defender Pau Cubarsí (17) and more. Gavi (20), a Spanish national team starter as a teen, has returned after 11 months out with an ACL injury. Fermín López, Ansu Fati and other locals are also involved.
And steering all of them is Hansi Flick, a German manager who has embraced — and been embraced by — Catalunya.
Flick was the man at the helm of the Bayern Munich team that beat Barca 8-2, and won the Champions League, in 2020. That game alone made such an impression on the Barcelona hierarchy that it contributed to his hiring this past summer, after Xavi’s controversial sacking.
Xavi, in many ways, deserves some credit for the recent upturn. But Flick’s impact has been instant. He has valued the academy kids. He has empowered a group of oft-criticized veterans. He has molded them into a contender for multiple trophies, into team that plays with flair and poise, and into blossoming unit that, on Wednesday, broke down the Bayern beast.
Next up is the archrival, the reigning Spanish and European champion, Real Madrid (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+). But as El Clásico awaits, one conclusion is already clear: Barca is back.