Why Barcelona Will Win 4 Trophies in the 2015/16 Season

Barcelona would certainly still appear to be the team to beat after their impressive dismantling of River Plate in the Club World Cup final.

Although that title and the European Super Cup is already in the bag, this article will focus on the trophies left up for grabs in the second half of the campaign.

Clearly the Blaugrana still have the bit between their teeth and an insatiable appetite for trophies and glory, and it is perhaps the latter that drives them on to keep improving.

Since the 2008/09 campaign, the trophies have kept on coming. Twenty-four in total per FCBarcelona.com—an astonishing haul.

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No other team in Europe comes close to matching that type of excellence over the same time frame and most opponents are swept aside.

Seemingly, it's only when the Catalans become complacent that their opponents are in with a chance of snatching the three points and it's that which Luis Enrique needs to guard against to ensure continued success.

Do they have enough to secure the triple treble?

La Liga

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Given that Barca have spent the entire campaign so far under the FIFA-imposed transfer ban and have had to deal with an ever-growing list of injuries, it's a wonder that Luis Enrique's side will start 2016 in such good shape.

It says more about the failure of other teams in the league to capitalise on Barca's ill-fortune too.

At the time of writing, the league is of course up for grabs, but there is one important factor that falls hugely in Barca's favour.

The Catalans have already played away at Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Celta Vigo and Athletic Club de Bilbao. Arguably their six most difficult away trips of the season.

All six opponents will have to visit the Camp Nou and none will fancy their chances.

Although it looks tight at the top at the moment, Barca will take La Liga at a canter.

Copa Del Rey

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The Copa del Rey is a competition that Barcelona love and is also one that they have won on the most occasions, closely followed by last season's vanquished finalists Athletic Club.

Villanovense have already been put to the sword and local rivals Espanyol await in the round of 16. A league match is sandwiched between that particular tie meaning that the Periquitos will have three chances in a week to curtail Barca's dominance.

With Real Madrid ousted from the competition for playing an ineligible player in Denis Cheryshev, there aren't too many teams left that are capable of staying the course with Barca over two legs.

A one-off game such as the final means a winner-take-all scenario, and that's something that would perhaps make the earlier rounds a little more exciting for the smaller teams in the competition.

It would be a surprise if anyone is able to topple Barca from their lofty perch here.

Champions League

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No team in the modern era has managed to retain the Champions League, and it would be a strange quirk of football fate if Barca were able to do so.

The final takes place in the San Siro, home of AC Milan, the last club to achieve the feat back in the 1990s.

After a record-breaking group-stage qualification when Barca went through as winners by a cavernous eight points from AS Roma in second place, they were immediately installed as favourites.

But this is going to be a bridge too far.

Injuries have already taken their toll on the team in the first part of the campaign and with Barcelona the target for everyone, there's a huge likelihood that opponents will resort to the darker arts in order to gain an advantage.

Players such as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are not going to be able to withstand such a constant battering until May when the final takes place.

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That virtually every player managed to stay fit during the last campaign was a huge slice of luck which benefited the Catalans immeasurably, but it's unlikely to happen again.

Manchester United came closest to retention of the trophy in 2009, when Barca themselves took the Red Devils apart in Rome.

It will take a big performance from someone to stop Barca getting to the final if they remain in this form.

But that is the real issue here.

To get to that point, they'll have to continue a run that has lasted for 12 months. Another five months at the same optimum level against the best that Europe has to offer is asking too much.