2024-25 Treble in sight?: Review Barcelona's precedents and discover if they can achieve it again

Does FC Barcelona and its fans have options to get excited about the idea of adding a treble this 2024-25 season? Definitely yes. Hansi Flick's team are only the third team in Europe, along with Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, that still have this option intact, and they also have it especially well on track.

As of today, the 'culés' hold the lead in LaLiga EA Sports with 70 points, four above their closest pursuer, Real Madrid. In addition, they are already qualified for the final of the Copa del Rey, which they will play on April 26 at La Cartuja, precisely against the 'blancos'. And in the UEFA Champions League, they have reached the 'semis' of the tournament, where they will face Inter Milan for a place in the grand final of the continental tournament.

At this point, history invites optimism on the part of FC Barcelona. And how not to? The Catalan team has been in a similar situation on up to four previous occasions, with serious options to conquer all possible awards at this point in the campaign. Of those four, in two they managed to complete the treble, in another they were left with a meritorious double, and only in one they ended up lifting a single trophy. Promising precedents that we explain below in FCBN.

2018/19 Season

Unfortunately, for the 'culé' club, the closest precedent is also the most bitter. In the 2018-19 season, Ernesto Valverde's Barcelona reached the final stretch of the season with real options of winning the treble, but would only end up conquering LaLiga, which they won convincingly, adding 87 points, 11 above Atlético de Madrid, their closest pursuer.

However, in the UEFA Champions League, they would not manage to transcend beyond the semi-finals. It was an especially painful fall, as the Catalans had tilted the series in their favor in the first leg at the Camp Nou, where they beat Liverpool with a promising 3-0 that ignited the Barcelona illusion. However, in the second leg, they received a real bucket of cold water: the 'Reds' came back in the tie with a resounding 4-0 at Anfield, eliminating Barcelona from the competition.

To this was added a defeat in the final of the Copa del Rey against Valencia CF at the Benito Villamarín (May 25, 2019). The 'ché' team won 2-1 with goals from Kévin Gameiro and Rodrigo, while Leo Messi scored for the 'culés'. That left Barça with only one title out of the three in dispute.

2014/15 Season

The 2014-15 season was much more favorable for Barcelona, led at that time by Luis Enrique and commanded offensively by the feared 'MSN', the trident formed by Leo Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar Jr. In that campaign, the 'azulgrana' team achieved its second treble, in a year where it was crowned champion of LaLiga adding a total of 94 points, surpassing its closest pursuer, Real Madrid, by two units.

In turn, they were proclaimed monarch of the UEFA Champions League, prevailing in the final played on June 6 in Berlin against Juventus of Turin with a score of 3-1 (goals from Ivan Rakitić, Luis Suárez and Neymar Jr.), thus achieving the fifth —and so far last— 'big-eared' in its history.

Likewise, Barça also won the Copa del Rey on May 30, 2015, after beating Athletic Club (1-3) in the final held at the Camp Nou.

2010/11 Season

In the 2010-2011 season, Barcelona was close to achieving the treble, although it finally escaped them by very little. In fact, that year, the only title they did not achieve was the Copa del Rey, whose final they lost on April 20, 2011 against Real Madrid (0-1). However, the Barcelona team was proclaimed champion of LaLiga, a tournament in which they prevailed by adding 96 points and surpassing their closest pursuer, the 'merengue' club, by four units.

In the UEFA Champions League, the 'culé' team was crowned champion after beating Manchester United (3-1) in the final played on May 28, 2011 at Wembley. With goals from Pedro Rodríguez, Leo Messi and David Villa, the Catalan team conquered its fourth European Cup, thus signing a double of great value in its history.

2008/09 Season

The first time that FC Barcelona was faced with the option of winning a treble was in the 2008-09 season, and they certainly achieved it. That year, Pep Guardiola's team swept all possible awards, both nationally and internationally, achieving a feat that, until today, only another club —Bayern Munich— can boast of having equaled: the achievement of a historic sextuple.

During that season, the 'culé' team was proclaimed champion of LaLiga with a total of 87 points, surpassing its closest rival, Real Madrid, by nine units. Likewise, they conquered the Copa del Rey on May 13, by beating Athletic Club (1-4) in Mestalla (May 13, 2009); and the UEFA Champions League on the 27th of the same month, after beating Manchester United (2-0) with goals from Samuel Eto'o and Leo Messi.

Beyond those three titles, at the beginning of the following year Barça also won the Spanish Super Cup, beating Athletic Club twice on August 23, 2009, 1-2 in the first leg with goals from Xavi Hernández and Pedro Rodríguez and 3-0 in the second leg, with goals from Leo Messi twice and another from Bojan; the European Super Cup, which arrived on August 28, 2009 after prevailing over Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 (goal from Pedrito); and the Club World Cup, on December 19 in Abu Dhabi and against Estudiantes de La Plata (1-2); thus sealing a memorable sextuple: the first in the history of football. An achievement worthy of a club of the greatness of FC Barcelona.