Does Hansi Flick need to win the Champions League to become a Barcelona legend?

Barcelona—Less than two seasons into his tenure, Hansi Flick has already stacked silverware at the Camp Nou, yet one question refuses to fade: will his project be judged incomplete without the sport’s most glittering prize?

Domestic dominance has arrived at break-neck speed. A domestic treble in 2024-25, followed by January’s Spanish Supercopa, has Barça top of La Liga and seeded directly into the Champions League round of 16. Supporters have responded with near-unanimous approval; a consensus of respect now greets the German wherever he appears inside the stadium.

Still, the Copa del Rey semifinal first-leg loss to Atlético Madrid offered a jarring reminder of the high-wire act that accompanies Flick’s front-foot philosophy. Throwing numbers forward has thrilled neutrals and unlocked victories, but it has also left the back line exposed at critical moments. In cup ties decided over 180—or even 90—minutes, a single lapse can erase months of excellence.

Inside the club, priorities remain clear. “Mission number one should always be La Liga,” one senior source told this newspaper. With the title race expected to be a nail-biter between Barça and perennial rivals Real Madrid, Flick’s ability to keep his squad fresh and focused on domestic points could determine whether he lifts back-to-back Spanish championships. Achieving that feat, many argue, would constitute a legendary accomplishment in its own right, especially given the financial constraints and injury crises that marked the club’s recent past.

Yet the Champions League casts the longest shadow. Europe’s premier tournament is the stage where tactical ideologies are stress-tested under global spotlights, and where Barça hope to chip away at Madrid’s commanding lead in the overall trophy count. Flick’s high line and relentless pressing have produced breathtaking passages of play, but they have also prompted questions about sustainability against elite opposition capable of punishing turnovers.

The next three months will therefore serve as referendum and revelation. With key players returning to fitness, the manager finally has the depth to implement his preferred XI and in-game rotations. Whether that is enough to navigate a knockout bracket stacked with Europe’s heavyweights will shape the narrative that follows him for the rest of his career.

Does he absolutely need the European Cup to be remembered as a Barça great? History suggests it helps. Past managers who delivered league crowns but fell short on the continental stage are respected; those who lifted the famous trophy with the blaugrana crest are immortalized. Flick’s current trajectory places him at a crossroads: domestic supremacy is within reach, yet European glory remains the most direct route to legendary status.

The debate will not be settled in press rooms or on social media feeds, but rather on pitches in Manchester, Munich, Paris or Madrid. There, Flick’s system will either power Barcelona toward a long-sought coronation or expose the limitations of a style that prizes bravery above all else. Either way, spring promises verdicts as dramatic as the football that has become his trademark.

Barcelona fans already value the transformation. How the rest of the world remembers Hansi Flick may be determined by what happens when the anthem plays and the stakes could not be higher.