The curse of being too good

You can’t win the league and the Champions League every year. Five out of the last six of those isn’t bad, with a few other smaller trophies thrown in and the possibility of another Copa del Rey still to come this season. However, second in the league and a semi-final exit to an inferior team is being widely regarded as a failure, maybe even a disaster, for Barcelona this season.
After all, they are arguably the finest club team of all time. They also boast, among others, a player thought of by an increasing number as the best ever in Lionel Messi. Is it unreasonable to expect this stylish, a...