I think we are slowly approaching towards the end of another cycle of possibly the best European team of the last 10-12 years.
And there has been a noticeable decline in their quality in the past seasons with the club failing to make it past the Champions league quarter finals for 3 of the last 4 seasons.
But during all these years, having faced so many top teams and beaten them all , who in your opinion would rank as the toughest and most intimidating opponent that Barca has had to face ? It could be a single season or even across multiple seasons.

I think their cycle already ended in 2015. During that time I would say that in a single season the most intimidating team that took them out was Inter. Bayern also looked godly but they faced a significantly weaker Barca. So in terms of top Barca duels, I'll go with Inter.

i would say estudientes in 2009 club world cup, in term of facing strongest barca

estudientes scored in min.37, barca equalized in min.89, then scored the winner in min.110 (aet)

Mascherano, Messi, Iniesta, Pique, Busquets. They still have half of their 2011 starting eleven still playing for them. Surely they'll move on from Mascherano and Iniesta this summer too. 2015 did end a cycle but this year it's officially official imo as I see mass changes happening.
Also the way they bowed out of the CL this year(with us beating them comfortably) more or less makes it even more apparent that this is surely an end of a cycle and that they need to start afresh again.

In Spain, no one. In Europe, would have to go with Chelsea as well with Inter coming a close 2nd.

Obviously Jupp's Bayern.

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van Persie looking confused as Farca cheat their way through another CL round.gif

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OR North London.

We all know the real answer.

Spoiler:

I see what you're doing here.

Bayern They faced them without a fit Messi(I know he played in one but be serious he wasn't even 10% fit) and a *bleep* coach lmao.

The real answer is Chelsea tbh, they are the only ones who consistently gave them problems.

Also Real Madrid is laughable too, they beat Guardiola once in 90 mins and I'm pretty sure the record wasn't that favourable with Luis Enrique either.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Bayern They faced them without a fit Messi(I know he played in one but be serious he wasn't even 10% fit) and a *bleep* coach lmao.

The real answer is Chelsea tbh, they are the only ones who consistently gave them problems.

Agreed. Bayern's mauling of Barca has certainly been overhyped by people. They had it lucky for the reasons you mentioned. Although their team was insane that year.

Not a bane for Barca but we haven't given them an easy ride as well

They were great that season but sustained excellence is important, there's a reason no one has retained the CL. Teams start to build and adapt towards stopping the champions.

Also that was probably the weakest Barca over this era, Chelsea and Inter faced the strongest versions and had the most success.

But Chelsea have had more sustained success due to Inter basically breaking it up after their success.

Any team who knew had to defend with disciplinary tbh or just simply parking the bus throwing 11 men in their PK box.

This isn't really a cycle tbh, you're generalizing over too large of a timespan.

2008-12 was one cycle, with the Bayern rout marking the end.
2013-14 was a transition year.
2015-17 was another cycle (Enrique, change of playstyle, MSN, etc.)

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Bayern They faced them without a fit Messi(I know he played in one but be serious he wasn't even 10% fit) and a *bleep* coach lmao.

Question is who's the toughest and most intimidating team they faced though and that Bayern team is certainly better, tougher and more intimidating than any Chelsea team ever was.

Cruijf wrote:This isn't really a cycle tbh, you're generalizing over too large of a timespan.

2008-12 was one cycle, with the Bayern rout marking the end.
2013-14 was a transition year.
2015-17 was another cycle (Enrique, change of playstyle, MSN, etc.)

BM rout was in 12-13. I think what you mean is 2008-13.

zigra wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Bayern They faced them without a fit Messi(I know he played in one but be serious he wasn't even 10% fit) and a *bleep* coach lmao.

Question is who's the toughest and most intimidating team they faced though and that Bayern team is certainly better, tougher and more intimidating than any Chelsea team ever was.

Tougher than Perez, Lahoz and RFEF?