Finally for the first time in a long time, Barcelona diehards have reason to be optimistic. The Blaugrana\u2019s league form has improved, Lionel Messi is back to his scoring prowess, and a selection of fine young players are putting in promising performances for the first team. Although out of the Champions League, they are promisingly on course to potentially win a domestic double.<\/p>\n
The storms seem to have abated considering everything that happened last summer, in particular the 8-2 humbling at the hands of a clearly superior Bayern Munich, axing key players for next to no money, and Messi gunning for an exit that was only prevented when it became clear he would have to take the club to court.<\/p>\n
Another good omen, depending on one\u2019s viewpoint, was Joan Laporta’s victory in the recent presidential elections. Following the departure of Josep Bartomeu, who had overseen a slow and steady collapse of the club, having squandered \u20ac1 billion on sub-par players, and blocking Messi\u2019s departure last summer, Laporta’s return was welcomed with open arms. Even Messi himself voted in the elections for the first time to show a sign of his support for Laporta, the man who appointed Pep Guardiola and oversaw the most successful period in the club’s history.<\/p>\n