A good source of mine at FC Barcelona told me a few days ago that he was convinced that Barca will win La Liga and the Champions League this season.
But that was before Messi got injured. I wrote not so long ago on the paradox afflicting Guardiola’s Barca. Its current greatness and potential weakness lay in the Argentine star. With Messi firing on all cylinders, Barca as a team is inspired to greatness , with all the other key parts- Xavi, Iniesta, Pujol, Villa- contributing to a collective effort that few can surpass in team work , skill, and poetry in motion. But vulnerability lies behind this dependency on one player.
Take away Messi from the equation, as he was last night against Sporting de Gijon, and suddenly the team begins to seem less united, less fluid, and more vulnerable. To watch Bojan up front instead of Messi is the equivalent of being made to stay in a youth hostel instead of the Ritz. Playing Bojan for most of the game exposes him for the less that star quality he is. He loses the ball too easily, and does not have the personality or the talent to draw the team around him. Even Pedro, brought in as a sub last night belatedly, plays better when Messi is around.
So what happened last night? Clear goals were missed, not least by Villa, who, without Messi, tries to assume the role of the chief protagonist, and ends up losing a sense of team spirit along the way. As a striker, Bojan does not measure up to the greatness that a club that Barca demands but Villa also loses his edge without Messi.
Sporting, hardly one of the best teams in Europe played a defensive game- a solid back wall- but one that showed up the weakness of Barca’s offensive play. Even Barca’s creative midfield looked pedestrian at times, turning this into one of the most boring matches I have seen for a while. The Russians must have a smile on their face this morning thinking ahead to their Champion’s League tie.
And I have not forgotten Iniesta who was a pale shadow of the star who played against Atletico de Madrid at the weekend and earned a standing ovation from the Vicente Calderon stadium.
Sure, the gossip from the Bernabeu reaching me , is that Mourinho is already ruffling feathers, not least Valdano who knows a thing or two about how football should be played not only to look beautiful but also to win. Valdano in my book is one of the great philosophers and poets of football although I suspect that Mourinho, the onetime translator at FC Barcelona under Bobby Robson, sees him as an uncomfortable presence at Real Madrid.
And yet Real Madrid are winning their games and growing in confidence, with strength in depth that Barca lacks. I’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating, it’s going to be a tough season, even when Messi comes back.
Messi was actually playing against Hércules and we lost! Barça had a bad game against Sporting but we won. That’s exactly what Madrid does almost every match!
I would not jump into conclusions just yet. Messi is such a great player and most of Barça’s offensive game goes through him, so I reckon is normal that it might take some time for Barça to adjust to this new ‘life without Messi’. We can not forget either that Villa, as great as he is, he is still adjusting to Barça offensive systems, where he doesn’t play as a sole striker as he used to do at Valencia… all and all, i am not panicking yet. And if your worst fears, Jimmy, are eventually proven right… well Messi should only be out for a couple more games!!!
Jimmy, Barcelona (and Spain) are boring when they have position, play ultra defensive teams and lack inspiration in the last 10 yds. Look at the Milan, Gijón and the Hercules games (and most of Spain’s World Cup games) and you understand what I am getting at. If you play teams that play their own style and go for it, like Atletico Madrid (or Germany in South Africa) then you have a fantastic game. And more the pity if you depend on one player as you claim, however Messi does not always play 100%, ask any Argentinian, the “wonder star” fails in the Big Games. As for Madrid, they look hopeless. They all play as if they are scared sh**tless of The Special One and are unable to express themselves, they are shackled, just look at the ineffective Ronaldo. Jose will not last the season there as the Bernebeau are about to revolt at his style, he will react, and that will be the end of a marriage made in hell. That just leaves Chelsea to admire, a glorious team who has “only” scored 21 goals and received 1 in 5 Premier games. Their marvelous attacking football is a joy to watch. No, Jimmy, the Champions Cup will be making a short journey from Wembley to Stamford Bridge next May!