A lot has changed in Spanish football since Pep Guardiola left Barcelona in the summer of 2012 – not least Real Madrid ruling Europe once again. But how do the two eternal rivals compare for spending in that time?
Jose Mourinho’s Madrid pipped Barcelona to the league in Guardiola’s final season. But Barcelona had won three La Liga titles in a row prior to that, as well as two Champions Leagues in three years – and three since Los Blancos claimed their ninth European Cup back in 2002.
Under Guardiola’s former right-hand man Tito Vilanova, Barcelona emphatically returned to the summit of the Spanish top-flight in 2012-13 and later, with Luis Enrique at the helm, would claim a second treble in 2014-15.
In fact, over the past decade, Barcelona have continued to edge it when it comes to domestic matters. They’ve won five of the last 10 La Liga titles since Guardiola’s departure, to Real Madrid’s three and Atletico Madrid’s two. The Catalan club have also won five Copa del Rey since 2012, while over that period Madrid only have one.
But things have markedly shifted in recent years. Barcelona have failed to win any of the last three league titles – they’d not gone two years without winning it since 2008. Financial turmoil has resulted in the greatest player in their history, Lionel Messi, leaving the club.
The area that will really sting for Barcelona fans is Madrid’s reemergence as European football’s dominant force. While they have one Champions League crown since Guardiola’s departure, the side from the capital have an unprecedented five in nine years – making it 14 overall, nine more than Barcelona.
When Guardiola left in 2012, Barcelona were still European football’s most respected and feared side. He left them with a strong core of players and the club was in rude financial health. Everything was set for them to dominate for many more years. So how did they lose their European crown to their most hated rivals? Not through being…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football365…