Barcelona is back. A Champions League win against Bayern Munich is the best proof so far

Bayern Munich was FC Barcelona for years Bestia Negrathe black beast, the German giant that even Barca couldn't beat.

Spanish media coined the term as Champions League defeats piled up and intervened as Barcelona fell from its early 2010 best.

The Catalan club had barely survived the final years of the Lionel Messi era. Due to financial difficulties and political unrest, the country found itself in a short-sighted, seemingly precarious situation. For much of the last five seasons, it has lagged behind football's elite. During this time they only won La Liga once. It didn't get beyond the Champions League quarters. And five consecutive defeats against Bayern – with scores of 8-2, 3-0, 3-0, 2-0, 3-0 – were the epitome of decline.

It was fitting that there was a beating on Wednesday from Bayern were the best evidence of Barca's resurgence so far.

The Blaugrana beat Bayern 4-1 in the first phase of the Champions League, demonstrating the dynamic football that takes them to the top of La Liga ahead of the first phase of this season classicSaturday at Real Madrid.

They proved that in the first minute on Wednesday in their temporary home stadium Montjuïc. Raphinha, whose place in the team once seemed like evidence of Barca's decline, completed a clever, energetic move with his first of three goals on the night.

As far as the match record is concerned, Barca were neither three goals nor worlds better than Bayern. A goal by Harry Kane was disallowed for a minor offside. Bayern bombarded Barca's defense with attack after attack in a breakneck first half.

But in the second half olés rang.

And Barca were actually better – than Bayern and than every other Barca team of the 2020s.

La Liga's red-hot start is proof that Wednesday was no fluke. And Wednesday was proof that La Liga's form, developed primarily against fewer opponents, is sustainable.

Not only is Barcelona in first place, three points ahead of Real Madrid. 33 goals have already been scored. Robert Lewandowski – the scorer of the (lucky) second goal against Bayern – has already scored 12 goals in the league and 15 in all competitions.

Lewandowski is the head of a versatile beast that, on paper, looks little different from last season. However, the results were. Most of his victories were deserved and comprehensive. The expected goal difference is already +15.2, more than six goals better than any other La Liga team.

Barca only signed a single player in the off-season: Dani Olmo. But their famous academy has produced another wave of young players who are driving this turnaround: striker Lamine Yamal (17), midfielders Marc Casadó (21) and Pedri (21), defender Pau Cubarsí (17) and more. Gavi (20), who played for the Spanish national team as a teenager, has returned after an eleven-month break with a cruciate ligament injury. Fermín López, Ansu Fati and other locals are also involved.

And they are all led by Hansi Flick, a German manager who has embraced – and been embraced by – Catalonia.

Flick was the man at the helm of the Bayern Munich team that beat Barca 8-2 in 2020 and won the Champions League. That game alone left such an impression on the Barcelona hierarchy that it contributed to his signing last summer, leading to Xavi's controversial sacking.

In many ways, Xavi deserves credit for the recent resurgence. But Flick's impact was felt immediately. He valued the academy children. He has empowered a group of oft-criticized veterans. He has molded them into a contender for multiple trophies, a team that plays with flair and poise and a rising unit that defeated the Bayern beast on Wednesday.

Next up is arch-rival, reigning Spanish and European champions Real Madrid (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+). But how El Classic expected, one conclusion is already clear: Barca is back.