Barça are in the final four of the Champions League for the fourth time in a row, setting a new club record. This will be their sixteenth appearance in the semi finals.
Real Madrid and Tottenham in next round
Barça’s semi final opposition will be either Real Madrid or Tottenham Hostspur. The Spaniards
have it all in their favour after winning the first leg 4-0. This would be the fourth time Barça
and Real Madrid have met in a European tie. Barça have only ever played Tottenham in the old Cup
Winners Cup, back in the 1981-82 semi finals. Then coached by Udo Lattek, Barcelona qualified for
the final, 2-1 on aggregate.
Guardiola’s side are into the semi finals of Europe’s premier club competition for the
fourth year in a row, and the fifth in just six seasons. Since he has been on the bench, they have
never failed to get at least this far in the competition.
In the
2008/09 season, Barça knocked out Bayern Munich in the quarter finals and went on to meet Chelsea.
A year later, Arsenal were the victims and the semi final foe was Mourinho and Inter. Shakhtar have
fallen under the Barça sword this time, and next up will be either Real Madrid or Tottenham.
Barça’s first of the run of four came under Frank Rijkaard. That was in 2007/08 when
they met Manchester United in the semis after previously defeating Schalke 04.
Barça win six semis
Barcelona have a balanced record when it comes to the final four. They have gone on
to play in the final six times, in 1960/61 (Hamburg), 1985/86 (Gothenburg), 1991/92 (Group),
1993/94 (Porto), 2005/06 (Milan) and 2008/09 (Chelsea).
But in the other six semi finals they have been beaten: 1959/60 (Real Madrid), 1974/75
(Leeds), 1999/00 (Valencia), 2001/02 (Real Madrid), 2007/08 (Manchester United) and 2009/10
(Inter).