Only by Barcelona's incredibly high standards can achieving successive doubles seem like a disappointment.
The team led by Lionel Messi added the Copa del Rey to their La Liga title on Sunday, but fell short of repeating the treble from last season. The ultimate goal, winning yet another Champions League title, ended at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.
“It was a positive season, we have won four of six titles,” Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said. “We had a challenge to win everything again but, unfortunately, it wasn’t possible. Your opponents have a say as well.”
Barcelona were trying to win their third treble of the decade, a feat they achieved last season and in 2008/09 under coach Pep Guardiola.
On Sunday against Europa League champions Sevilla in the Copa del Rey final, the Catalan club won 2-0 in extra time. Barcelona also won the Uefa Super Cup and the Club World Cup this season.
Not bad for most clubs. But not for Barcelona, who have won 27 titles in the last decade, and seven in the last two seasons.
“It was a very good season. You cannot always win the treble, but the double is a great season,” said Barcelona defender Jordi Alba, who scored the decisive goal on Sunday seven minutes into extra time at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid. “But we and the fans have to appreciate the titles we are winning with our level of play.”
According to local media, nearly 50,000 fans went to the Camp Nou in Barcelona on Monday night to celebrate with the team at a party filled with music, fireworks and speeches by the players.
It was the seventh season in the last decade in which Barcelona won at least two titles, and the seventh time in team history that the club won both domestic trophies in the same season. The team also went 39 games without a loss to set a Spanish record for most unbeaten games in a row.
“The team’s trajectory in recent years is magnificent,” Barcelona central defender Gerard Pique said. “We want to keep winning titles and adding to our honours.”
Team president Josep Maria Bartomeu published an open letter to fans praising the team’s achievements.
“Four great trophies, something no other team has achieved this year,” he said. “In a few years’ time, when the history books are revisited, the statistics will show that this has been a great season. Trophies are important, that is true, but they are not everything; we have seen once again that Barca is a different club, unique and the best in the world.”
Over the last decade, Barcelona have won seven Spanish titles, four Copa del Rey trophies and six Spanish Super Cups. Barcelona also dominated internationally, winning four Champions League titles, three European Super Cups and three Club World Cup titles.
“This team did not have to prove anything,” said Luis Enrique, who has won seven of nine titles in his first two seasons. “They keep winning with different coaches. They have fun doing what they do. They know how to overcome adversity.”
Besides missing out on the Champions League title, Luis Enrique also lost the Spanish Super Cup last year.
The coach vowed to do better, and he just might if Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta all stick around and keep performing.
“We have a squad that can keep winning,” said Iniesta, who along with Messi has won 28 trophies with the club, “and we can be optimistic for the future.”
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The five pillars of Islam
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
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England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
MATCH INFO
Watford 1 (Deulofeu 80' p)
Chelsea 2 (Abraham 5', Pulisic 55')
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia