2008 Barcelona Away – Lionel Messi #10 Medium

The 2008/09 season stands as one of the greatest in football history — the birth of Pep Guardiola’s golden era and the campaign that elevated Lionel Messi from prodigy to global icon. Under Guardiola’s visionary leadership, FC Barcelona achieved the historic treble, winning La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League — the first Spanish club ever to do so.

• La Liga:

  • Champions, finishing 1st with 87 points (27 wins, 6 draws, 5 losses).

  • Scored an incredible 105 goals, led by Messi (23) and Eto’o (30).

  • Clinched the title with dominant performances and a legendary 6–2 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid — one of the most famous Clásicos in history.

• Copa del Rey:

  • Winners, defeating Athletic Bilbao 4–1 in the final.

  • Messi scored in the final and was instrumental throughout the tournament.

• UEFA Champions League:

  • Winners, beating Manchester United 2–0 in the final in Rome.

  • Goals from Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi — who scored a towering header to seal the win.

• FIFA Club World Cup & Super Cups:

  • Competed in late 2009, adding more silverware to the treble in the following months.

• Key Storyline:

  • Guardiola’s first season in charge revolutionized Barcelona’s playing style — emphasizing pressing, possession, and positional brilliance.

  • The young core of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, and Piqué became the foundation of an era of dominance that changed world football.

• Kit:
  The 2008/09 Barcelona away jersey, by Nike, was a bold bright yellow shirt with a vertical red-and-blue stripe, symbolizing both Catalan pride and modern energy. Paired with blue shorts, it became a striking visual of dominance — worn during memorable away performances, including Champions League matches and Messi’s rise to superstardom.

2. Player’s Impact – Lionel Messi (2008/09)

Lionel Messi had his first truly defining season in 2008/09 — the year he became the best player in the world and the face of Barcelona’s treble.

• Appearances: 51 in all competitions.

• Statistics: 38 goals and 18 assists.

  • La Liga: 23 goals, 11 assists.

  • Champions League: 9 goals (Top Scorer).

  • Copa del Rey: 6 goals, 6 assists.

• Key Moments:

  • Scored twice in the Copa del Rey Final vs. Athletic Bilbao.

  • Netted the decisive header in the Champions League Final vs. Manchester United.

  • Destroyed Real Madrid in the 6–2 win at the Bernabéu, contributing two goals and an assist.

  • Produced world-class displays against Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Sevilla.

• Role: Played as a right winger/false nine, freely drifting inside to orchestrate play and finish moves.

• Legacy:

  • The 2008/09 campaign transformed Messi from a prodigy into a global superstar.

  • Won his first Ballon d’Or (2009) for his performances that season.

  • The beginning of an era — the foundation of Messi’s dominance for the next decade.

3. Full Squad List – FC Barcelona 2008/09

Manager: Pep Guardiola

Goalkeepers:

• Víctor Valdés

• José Manuel Pinto

Defenders:

• Carles Puyol (Captain)

• Gerard Piqué

• Rafael Márquez

• Eric Abidal

• Dani Alves

• Sylvinho

• Martín Cáceres

Midfielders:

• Xavi Hernández

• Andrés Iniesta

• Sergio Busquets

• Yaya Touré

• Seydou Keita

Forwards:

• Lionel Messi

• Samuel Eto’o

• Thierry Henry

• Bojan Krkić

• Pedro Rodríguez