It's often said that imitation is the best form of flattery. Or that once something great has been achieved, it is nearly impossible to replicate or even match that same success. In the case of Barcelona, one of these often-used statements certainly rings true; as for the other, the jury's still out regarding its verdict.
Seven years ago, the Blaugrana were coming into the 2008/2009 campaign off the back of two consecutive disappointing seasons. Under famed Dutch tactician Frank Rijkaard, the Catalan giants had again failed to win La Liga and were unable to progress past the semi-finals of both the Champions League and in the Copa del Rey. Prior to that, in the 2006/2007 term, Barca again floundered, finishing second in the league and more disconcertingly, were unable to get past Liverpool in the round of 16 - a shocking fact considering that they had won their second Champions League title the previous May.
Perhaps the only shining light during those dark times was the emergence of a then 20-year-old young Argentinian attacker named Lionel Messi, whose 16 goals in all appearances made him the team's third-highest goal-scorer behind Thierry Henry's 19 and Samuel Eto'o, who netted a total of 18. Yet, when Rijkaard made way for former midfielder Pep Guardiola, who at that point only had one year of managerial experience - with Barcelona's reserve side.
So, not surprisingly, despite boasting a solid record of 28 wins, nine draws, and five losses - or a win percentage of about 66.67 per cent - Guardiola's appointment raised quite a few eyebrows, and even more so when he decided to completely change the whole fabric of the team.
He obviously knew something the rest of us didn't at the time: Former president Joan Laporta with a newly-appointed Guardiola back in 2008
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Eto'o, Deco, and Ronaldinho, previously viewed as untouchable under previous managers, were all sent packing as Guardiola opted to build his new-look Barcelona around the now famed trio of Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi. And, of course, in also arrived the tiki-taka style that had been used during his time with the Blaugrana youth set-up that would change the course of football in such a way that its impact is still felt even today.
Messi-Xavi-Iniesta: Guardiola's famous attacking trio that conquered Spain and Europe
It would prove to be a winning combination as Guardiola, with his attack now revolving around the brilliance of Iniesta, Xavi, and Messi, would not just lead Barcelona back to the top of the league, but to enter unchartered territory as the first ever Spanish side to win the much-sought after Treble. Even more impressive was the fact that this was in his debut season at the helm of arguably one of the biggest clubs in world football, and to top it off, he wasn't done just yet.
A winning combination: With the sheer class of Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta, Barcelona enjoyed a period of immense success, winning a whopping 14 titles during Guardiola's four years in charge
His win over Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final at the age of 38 made him the youngest ever manager to win the biggest trophy in club football. To top it off, by the conclusion of 2009, Barcelona had added the Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Spanish Super Cup to their trophy collection, making the debutant manager the first - and only to date - coach to win an unprecedented six titles, or a Sextuple in one season.
By the time he called time on his four seasons at the Camp Nou, Guardiola had won 14 trophies, including two Champions League titles and three La Liga crowns. In total, he boasted a winning percentage of 72.47 per cent, with 179 victories and just 21 defeats in the 247 matches he oversaw from the bench.
Success is hard to come by, but it's even harder to repeat: Guardiola's tough encore task at Bayern
However, with all his success arrived immense pressure and expectations - both for Guardiola himself and for Barcelona. After a year long hiatus and assuming his first post outside Spain - at the helm of Bayern Munich - many expected Guardiola's winning touch to easily translate from La Liga to the Bundesliga, especially given that he had taken over die Roten following their own history-making Treble season of their own.
Yet, what is good for the goose really is not always good for the gander; that is, thus far, Guardiola has found success - on the continent at least - much harder to come by since arriving in Munich. Two straight Bundesliga wins and three other trophies in two seasons is certainly nothing to scoff at. And certainly, a record of 81 wins, 14 draws, and 15 losses, or a 73.64 winning percentage over the past two seasons is something that should not be taken lightly.
But that has not stopped the critics - namely the legions of former players eager to share their opinions - from coming out in full force, especially given that Bayern have failed to make the finals for the past two seasons, and ironically, at the hands of his former team Barcelona during this past Champions League edition.
And if the expectations on Guardiola have been immense, his ex-club, too, have felt the weight of those four glorious years on their shoulders ever since. However, it has not taken them long to re-capture some of that same form. After a couple of solid, but unspectacular seasons under the late Tito Vilanova and then Gerardo Martino, another former Barca B manager, Luis Enrique, was installed on the tactician's bench.
The rise of a new era? Luis Enrique's first season is eerily similar to the one under Pep Guardiola
Unlike his former teammate Guardiola, Luis Enrique came into his current position having honed his skills both abroad with Roma and then in his home country with Celta Vigo. His one year with the Giallorossi was a frustrating one as he attempted to bring some tiki-taka style football to the Italian capital, and he clashed with supporters due to his decisions to bench city icon and captain Francesco Totti in favor of younger blood.
A mid-table finish with Celta was his next result on his CV prior to taking over at the club where he spent eight seasons after making a controversial move from Real Madrid, and despite the addition of stars like Luis Suarez, he, like Guardiola was certainly not expected to have the kind of debut season he has had thus far.
Déjà vu: Like Guardiola, Luis Enrique built his attack around the power of three - in his case, the firepower of South American trio Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez
Just as in the case of Guardiola, Luis Enrique's successful premier campaign almost fell apart even before it got off the ground. However an impressive uptick in form at the start of 2015 would conclude in Barcelona defeating Juventus 3-1 in June's Champions League final to become the first ever team to win two Trebles - in just six years. And with a narrow 5-4 win over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup to make it four, the unavoidable comparisons between Guardiola's Barcelona of 2009 and Luis Enrique's of 2015 have only grown louder.
Four down, two to go = Sextuple on the way? Luis Enrique with his fourth trophy after beating Sevilla earlier this week. He is now the fourth man to have won the UEFA Super Cup both as a player and a manger - after Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, and Diego Simeone
A look at the stats clearly shows that the numbers favor the current Barcelona boss, but numbers do not always tell the full story. Or do they speak for themselves in this case?
*Note - figures are PRIOR to Barcelona's recent UEFA Super Cup win over Sevilla on August 11th
The one constant between the two Blaugrana sides is the presence of several stars, including Messi, who grew into the four-time Ballon d'Or winner he is under Guardiola's guidance and now could clinch his fifth after enjoying a prolific partnership with Suarez and Neymar under the watchful eye of Luis Enrique. And it has been under his current coach that the Argentinian superstar has taken on a new role to accommodate the Uruguayan and Brazilian stars to devastating effect - a dream attack that many observers thought could never become a reality.
With trophy number five - the Spanish Super Cup - a strong possibility, Barcelona's new manager could certainly take one step closer towards completing his own Sextuple if they find a way past Athletic Bilbao over the two legged tie taking place during the next few days.
But, should they make it six for six in a few months from now, can this Barcelona stake their claim to be just as good as, or even better than the one from 2009? As things stand, and based on the above stats alone, certainly. But what made Guardiola's Barcelona arguably the best club side that has been seen in recent times was not just that famous Sextuple-winning campaign of 2008/2009. Rather, one can argue that it was their continued duration of posting impressive results that set the benchmark for what any top-tier side aspires to be today, and will certainly aspire to be for years to come.
As such, should the marriage between Luis Enrique and Barcelona continue to be a fruitful and happy one for another few seasons, then, surely, this present squad and its manager will, without a shadow of a doubt be able to stake their claim as one of the best teams to grace the club footballing landscape.
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