Thierry Henry, a Champions League winner with Barcelona in 2009, believes his former club is poised to lift the trophy again this season.
The French football legend views FC Barcelona as a top contender for the Champions League title. He was particularly struck by their dominant 7-2 victory over Newcastle United in the Champions League Round of 16 second leg recently, a performance he believes has sent a strong message to their rivals.
Speaking on CBS Sports, Henry effusively praised the Catalans, describing their performance as «a night that will go down in history.» He stated, «Congratulations, Barcelona. Europe is starting to feel the danger. When a team is on such a run, nothing is safe. That wasn’t just a triumph; it was a worldwide earthquake.»
Henry was particularly impressed by how Barcelona transformed their play in the second half, after holding a somewhat shaky 3-2 lead at halftime. «What a second half that was?» the former Blaugrana striker exclaimed. «It was a total transformation; the team played with a different personality. That was the real Barcelona. When they want to, they can do anything. This is an incredible team.»
The attacking prowess displayed by Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and their teammates even reminded Henry of Johan Cruyff’s legendary Dream Team from the early 1990s. He felt sympathy for their opponents, Newcastle, remarking, «Newcastle collapsed against this attacking juggernaut. When Barcelona plays like that, they are almost impossible to stop.»
Barcelona Set to Face Atletico Madrid in Champions League
Henry’s high praise is particularly noteworthy given his previous criticisms of Barcelona’s playing style this season. As recently as last autumn, he speculated that their risky philosophy and defensive vulnerabilities would prevent them from achieving major success. Following a 1-2 home defeat against defending champions PSG in the group stage, he had asserted, «You cannot play with such a high line in the Champions League, I’m sorry.»
Barcelona has been waiting for a Champions League title since their final victory in Berlin against Juventus in 2015. Despite recent efforts, they have struggled to replicate that success in subsequent seasons.
Next, Barca is scheduled to face LaLiga rivals Atletico Madrid. Should the Blaugrana overcome this hurdle in the quarter-finals, they would then meet the winner of the clash between FC Arsenal and Sporting CP in the semi-finals.
Champions League Quarter-Final Pairings
| Real Madrid | FC Bayern |
| PSG | FC Liverpool |
| FC Barcelona | Atletico Madrid |
| Sporting CP | FC Arsenal |