The 2016–17 season was Futbol Club Barcelona’s 117th year in existence and its 86th consecutive campaign in La Liga, Spain’s top-flight football division. Under head coach Luis Enrique, in what would be his final season with the club, Barça participated in four competitions following their domestic double triumph the previous year.
Barcelona began the season strongly, clinching the Supercopa de España with a dominant 5–0 aggregate victory over Sevilla. However, the season brought mixed results, marked by incredible highs and significant disappointments.
One of the season’s standout moments came in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, where Barcelona pulled off an extraordinary comeback against Paris Saint-Germain. After a crushing 4–0 defeat in the first leg, Barça made history in the return leg with a 6–1 win at Camp Nou, culminating in Sergi Roberto’s stoppage-time goal that secured their passage to the quarter-finals. However, their European campaign ended in disappointment after a 3–0 aggregate defeat to Juventus.
Domestically, Barcelona’s league campaign was defined by a tight race with rivals Real Madrid. A memorable highlight was Lionel Messi’s dramatic last-minute winner in a 3–2 victory in El Clásico on 23 April at the Santiago Bernabéu. Despite this, Barça finished second in La Liga, three points behind Real Madrid.
The Copa del Rey provided some solace, as Barcelona defeated Alavés 3–1 in the final on 27 May to secure their third consecutive triumph in the competition. This season also marked the first without Dani Alves, who had moved to Juventus after eight highly successful years at the club.
Lionel Messi shone throughout the season, finishing as the team’s top scorer with 54 goals in all competitions, including 37 in La Liga. This season also highlighted the end of an era under Luis Enrique, who opted not to renew his contract.
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