Barcelona's Champions League campaign ended in total humiliation for the third season running as they were thumped 8-2 by Bayern Munich in Friday's quarterfinal in Lisbon.
There were flashbacks of defeats against Roma and Liverpool as Bayern raced out to a 4-1 lead inside a blistering opening half hour, with two goals from Thomas Muller and efforts from Ivan Perisic and Serge Gnabry. A David Alaba own goal had briefly drawn Barca level.
Luis Suarez brought Barca back into the game after the break but a goal from Joshua Kimmich, set up by the outstanding Alphonso Davies, killed off any hopes of an unlikely comeback. Robert Lewandowski added the sixth before a late brace from substitute Philippe Coutinho, Barca's record signing who is on loan at Bayern, completed the rout and sealed one of the worst nights in the Catalan club's history.
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Positives
A first trophy-less season since 2007-08 is now over. Is that a positive? Barca can now put the disappointment of a below-par campaign behind them and look to start afresh when it all begins again in September, although that will be easier said than done.
Negatives
It's been said before but never has it been truer than on the night when Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League: a squad overhaul is needed. According to Opta, at an average age of 29 years and 329 days per player, this was the oldest starting lineup ever fielded in the competition.
Some tough decisions lie ahead for the decision makers at Camp Nou. It's time to rip up an ageing spine that has brought the club so much success in the past decade. Failure to do so will result in more European humiliations. More Romas, more Liverpools and more Bayerns.
The result, though, is as much a consequence of mismanagement off the pitch for a number of years as anything that happened on the pitch at the Stadium of Light. And with presidential elections not due until next summer, another year of uncertainty stares down at the club.
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Manager rating out of 10
2 -- Quique Setien conservatively opted for a midfield four and was quickly proven wrong in an open game featuring two poor defences. He failed to make tactical tweaks as Barca were utterly dismantled and is likely to be out of a job in the coming days despite only being appointed in January.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 3 -- What a time to have your only off night of the entire season. The German goalkeeper wasn't massively at fault for any of the goals but he was nowhere near his usual self in possession and cut a nervy figure.
DF Nelson Semedo, 4 -- Left Bayern far too much space on the left and was torn apart by Davies for the fifth goal.
DF Gerard Pique, 4 -- Barca's most competent defender at times but even he ended up giving up as the Bayern goals rolled in.
DF Clement Lenglet, 3 -- Couldn't get to grips with Lewandowski or Gnabry all night.
DF Jordi Alba, 5 -- Struggled defensively but showed more fight than some of his teammates and set up the two goals.
MF Sergi Roberto, 3 -- Taken off at half-time after a poor showing in midfield. Gave the ball away too much.
MF Sergio Busquets, 4 -- Looked slow and miles off the pace. Barca will hope it was just an off night and that he can recover for next season.
MF Frenkie de Jong, 4 -- Switched off too often but, as a relatively new arrival, he should be one of the players to come out of this with his reputation at the club still intact.
MF Arturo Vidal, 4 -- Ran a lot but didn't do a lot else. Why did Riqui Puig not feature at all in these last two games against Napoli and Bayern?
FW Lionel Messi, 5 -- Hit the post early on when the game was still alive with a cross but just didn't have the supporting cast to come up with something special.
FW Luis Suarez, 5 -- Took his goal really well, dumping Jerome Boateng on the floor, but this was another example of why Barca need a new No. 9.
Substitutes
FW Antoine Griezmann, 5 -- Came on at half-time but Barca had already sunk by then. Didn't have an impact.
FW Ansu Fati, N/R -- Thrown on once the game was long, long gone. Barca had already been butchered.