What’s the Biggest ‘What If’ Moment in Modern Barcelona History?

Barcelona’s modern era is packed with silverware, superstar moments and memories that stretch from the Camp Nou to every corner of the footballing world. Yet, for every trophy lifted, there lingers a parallel history of moments that slipped away—forks in the road that supporters revisit with two simple words: what if.

The club’s official community platform, Barca Blaugranes, recently posed that exact question to fans, highlighting two flashpoints that still prompt debate in bars and social-media threads:

• What if Ousmane Dembélé had converted his glaring chance against Liverpool? • What if teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal had protected a late lead by steering the ball toward the corner flag against Inter?

Neither incident is new, but their emotional weight remains fresh. Dembélé’s miss at Anfield came at a pivotal stage of a European tie that ultimately swung on the finest of margins. Yamal’s decision to keep attacking rather than run down the clock, meanwhile, allowed Inter a late reprieve that cost Barcelona valuable group-stage points.

Supporters were invited to weigh those moments against the broader backdrop of recent club history—painful exits, the departure of academy graduates and, most poignantly, the farewell to Lionel Messi. The exercise is less about rewriting history than about understanding how thin the line is between glory and regret.

While the debate rages in comment sections, current events offer a brighter outlook. Yamal, still only 16, has already become an integral piece of Hansi Flick’s rebuild, underlined by a dynamic performance against Mallorca that showcased his fearless dribbling and end-product. The youngster’s rapid rise suggests Barcelona’s next generation may yet create fresh memories to eclipse the heartbreaks of the past.

For now, fans are left to ponder the sliding doors that define football—and to hope that today’s emerging talents convert potential into the silverware those “what if” moments never delivered.