FCBARCELONA.CAT

Rijkaard: the end of an era of titles and a good image

2007/08 was Frank Rijkaard’s last season in charge of FC Barcelona. From 2003/04 the Dutch coach elegantly led a team which reached its peak in May 2006 in Paris.

With the end of the 2007/08 season the Rijkaard era came to an end. During his five years at the club, the Dutchman brought his taste for fine football to the Camp Nou, remaining loyal to his principles and being the perfect gentleman both on and off the pitch. Frank Rijkaard’s time at FC Barcelona was very positive in his first three years (2003-06), with two League titles and the club’s second Champions League, although this record wasn’t maintained in his last two seasons (2006-08).

The year of recovery

The Rijkaard era began in 2003-04, with Ronaldinho as the big star on the pitch. The club had had four barren seasons and was playing in the UEFA Cup. After a poor first half to the season, the signing of Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids in the January transfer window was a turning point. The coach consolidated his tactical system and the team climbed up the table to finish second in the League. Although the season ended with no titles, Barça had shown signs of recovery.

Qualitative leap

The team made a qualitative leap with the arrival of stars such as Eto’o, Deco, Larsson, Giuly, Edmílson, Belletti and Sylvinho. Despite four serious injuries in the first part of the championship, Barça won the 2004/05 League title with authority. Playing very attractive football, the title was won away at Llevant with three games still to go.

Historic double

The pinnacle of Rijkaard’s achievement came in the 2005/06 season. His side dazzled Europe with memorable performances at Stamford Bridge (1-2) and San Siro (0-1), before winning the club’s second Champions League title in Paris against Arsenal (2-1). Barça also retained their League title with some spectacular football which included a winning streak of 14 games (including a 0-3 win at Bernabéu). A new talent called Leo Messi came onto the scene. They also won the Spanish Super Cup by beating Betis.

At the threshold of success

The season in which Barça hoped for most under Rijkaard was the most unfortunate. With Messi and Eto’o out for many months injured, and knocked out on the away goals rule by Liverpool in the last 16 of the Champions League, goal difference then deprived Barça of its third League title in a row. Also painful was elimination from the King’s Cup in the semi-finals by Getafe. Moreover Seville and Internacional de Porto Alegre defeated Barça in the European Super Cup and the World Club Championship respectively. The Spanish Super Cup and the Catalan Cup were the only titles to be won that season, with Espanyol as the runners-up in both cases.

The end of an era

The summer of 2007 saw the arrival of Henry, Touré, Abidal and Milito which in principle meant Barça had one of the best squads in its history. Rijkaard also had promising youth academy players coming through, but injuries limited the potential of a team which was one goal away from both the Champions League final and the King’s Cup final, with eventual winners Manchester United and Valencia putting out the Catalans who perhaps deserved better on both occasions. In the League the team was unable to achieve the consistency required due to physical wear and tear and injuries, and ended up in third place, their worst finish under Rijkaard.

On 8 May 2008 the club announced a change of coach: Frank Rijkaard was to be replaced by Josep Guardiola. The Dutchman was the fourth longest serving manager in Barça’s history. Rijkaard managed Barça in 283 official games, with 167 victories, 64 draws and 52 defeats, his side scoring 544 goals and letting in 254.