The 2020–21 season marked the 122nd year in Futbol Club Barcelona’s history and its 91st consecutive season in Spain’s top flight. It was a pivotal season for the club, with participation in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa de España, and the UEFA Champions League, and began later than usual due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This season also saw the departure of stalwarts Luis Suárez and Ivan Rakitić, who left for Atlético Madrid and Sevilla, respectively, signaling the beginning of a transitional phase.
After a tumultuous 2019–20 season, highlighted by a historic 8–2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and ending without silverware for the first time in 12 years, Barcelona sought to rebuild under new manager Ronald Koeman. Koeman’s tenure was marked by significant squad changes and an emphasis on youth development. Suárez’s departure, in particular, symbolized the restructuring, as Barcelona sought a new direction under Koeman’s guidance.
Despite an inconsistent start, the team managed to lift its 31st Copa del Rey, defeating Athletic Bilbao 4–0 in the final. However, Barcelona’s league campaign saw mixed results. While they mounted a late-season charge for the title, key stumbles in the final stretch relegated them to a third-place finish, their lowest since the 2007–08 season.
In the Champions League, Barcelona advanced to the Round of 16 after finishing second in their group but faced Paris Saint-Germain, who defeated them 5–2 on aggregate. This early exit marked the end of their streak of 13 consecutive quarterfinal appearances in Europe’s elite competition.
Notably, this season would ultimately be Lionel Messi’s final one with Barcelona. The club’s financial struggles, coupled with contract renewal issues, meant that the Argentine maestro left at the season’s end. Messi’s last goal for Barcelona came in a 1–2 home defeat to Celta Vigo on May 16, 2021, a poignant end to his legendary tenure with the club.
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