FC Barcelona are in a peculiar situation. At start of the season they brought in a ex-player, Luis Enrique, to coach the team, so as to get stability and avoid immediate backlash should results go awry. Then they pumped in 157 million in the transfer market bringing in Suarez, Bravo, Rakitic to ensure anything less than a major trophy would render the season unsuccessful.
So every loss brought in the same template of headlines - Enrique to be sacked soon; Messi to leave Barcelona at end of season; Messi and Enrique not in talking terms; Enrique’s iron fist rule has distanced players; Enrique’s rotation policy has spelt doom. The same headlines cropped up after 0-1 loss to Real Sociedad and after 0-1 loss to Malaga.
Ever since the Sociedad loss, the Catalans played 17 games in all competitions, and won 16 of them. Leo Messi scored 17 goals in the 10 La Liga game in this period rocketing the Catalans to top of the table! If anyone has to be upset with Messi it could be the preceding coach Tata Martino.
Lord Messi was injury ridden and had his lowest form under Martino scoring just 28 league goals in 2013-14 season. Just 28! To give a perspective, Wayne Rooney scored his highest league goals (27) in 2011-12 for Manchester United. Diego Costa’s 27 league strikes helped Atletico Madrid lift the La Liga title in 2013-14. On second thoughts, maybe Tata doesn't have much room to complain.
It was Messi’s double miss – penalty and the rebound simple header into an open goal – which keeps City in the tie. Credit to Englishman Joe Hart. The last time Leo missed a penalty in a Champions league knockout game was at Nou Camp in the semifinal stage vs another english team, Chelsea, in 2012 . The Catalans will take lessons from that heart wrenching ouster. That penalty miss had given Chelsea a huge boost and supreme belief despite down to ten men.
Belief and hope are the two big words Manchester City will need to carry. They carry hopes of a nation which breeds the most popular football league in the world and yet fear not seeing any EPL club make it to the last eight of Champions League 2014-15. There is also fear this is becoming routine. In 2012-13, David Beckham was the only Englishman playing the Champions league quarter finals stage, with PSG. Much excuses have flown since, including the complaint that lack of winter break tires them. Well, much before winter break, Liverpool were out of Champions league, while Arsenal and Manchester City had to huff puff to go past the group stages.
There are no room for excuses now. Arsenal were knocked out by an ordinary Monaco outfit, a week after Chelsea got knocked out at home despite leading the tie most of the time and player on pitch count, most of the night.
in 2015 Manchester City have been out of their depth. In their last 11 fixtures in all competitions, they have won just three games, drew three and lost a whopping five – including to likes of Middlesbrough and Burnley at home.
Only the English media and fans of EPL are harbouring hopes that City will have some stroke of luck to win at Nou Camp. And they will need to win 2-1 to take the tie to penalties or score a 2-0 or better to win.
These are margins of loss, the last time inflicted on Barcelona by Real Madrid at their peak over 5 months ago. That was when Enrique and the new recruits were settling, Barcelona were leading 1-0 at Bernabeu and a Pique unfortunate slip was responsible for the equalizer, against the run of play.
Real Madrid then had a dream run till Christmas and as it happens it football, the tide got turned in the most testing phase of the season. March- April decides the fate of every season and it’s for the first time in four years that Barcelona are looking fresher and fitter in the business end. Credit that to Luiz Enrique’s rotation policy – which was much criticized in first half of the season. It ensured aging war horses like Alves and Xavi weren't sidelined nor were made too dependant upon for success.
Enrique though should have been criticized for his second half moves at Etihad. Leading 2-0 and just when City were playing a last ditch effort sending almost everyone forward (typical to how small teams react in face of defeat), Enrique sacrificed Rakitic and got a defender (Mathieu), allowing City more space to run in, when ideally he should have urged for a third goal to be scored, even at cost of conceding one.
Barcelona have now to either draw or lose 0-1 on Wednesday to proceed – any of these results would unsettle the fans before the El Classico. A win is needed and an emphatic win would be on the cards. City are playing to save their season, knowing there is nothing much left to save. Manchester City have no credible win in 2015 to take inspiration before they hit the Nou Camp turf.
Ditto for Real Madrid. In 16 games post the winter break, Real have drawn two, lost six and won eight. For a team competing with Bayern Munich and Barcelona for best team around, these are depressing numbers.
Camp Nou could end up being more depressing for the reigning EPL champions and reigning Champions League holders.
Oh! I realized this writeup would be incomplete without the mention of Neymar & Suarez.
Neymar, Suarez.
Source: DSG
