It was already humiliating enough before Philippe Coutinho came on, the one individual that truly shows why Barcelona are in this mess. It was 5-2. Then Coutinho assisted Robert Lewandowski and added another two himself, opting not to celebrate against his parent club but also because he knew how embarrassing this match had been. Bayern Munich 8-2 Barcelona.
This type of result has been coming ever since Barcelona last won the Champions League in 2015. In 2016, they lost 2-0 to Atletico Madrid after having a 2-1 lead. In 2017, they lost 3-0 to Juventus and could no nothing in the second leg. In 2018, they lost 3-0 to Roma and went out on away goals after leading 4-1. In 2019, they lost 4-0 to Liverpool after having a 3-0 lead.
Last night was the worst ever, perhaps for any team. It's their biggest defeat and it was cut down to a single tie due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Under Pep Guardiola, Barcelona were at their pinnacle and played a brand of football that revolutionised the entire sport. The club's identity is in their style of play of Cruyffian values: high tempo, short passing, pressing. There was none of that.
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| Barcelona are in a financial disaster and that reflects their on-the-pitch troubles Photo by Save the Dream |
There is so much to analyse with Barcelona about how they came to be in this position after being at the top just five years ago. Recruitment is the biggest factor which they are still having problems with as recent as last month.
Antoine Griezmann cost £107 million to come off the bench. Ousmane Dembele cost £97 million to sit on the bench and be injured most of the time. Coutinho cost £105 million to play awfully, be loaned out to Bayern, play awfully there and still come back to haunt his parent club. Since they last won the Champions League in 2015, Barcelona have spent around €885 million to never reach the final.
And of that €885 million, which players have been a success? Arda Turan for €34 million? The summer of 2016 that saw Lucas Digne, Andre Gomes, Jasper Cillessen and Paco Alcacer bought for €94.5 million and for none of them to be at the club in 2019. Paulinho for €40 million and Malcom for €41 million to both leave after a year. There needs to be an internal investigation as to how so much money can be wasted on average players.
There has been little regeneration of the squad. Of the eleven that started, only Clement Lenglet (2018) Nelson Semedo (2017), Frenkie de Jong (2019) and Arturo Vidal (2018) have joined after 2014. The age profile of the squad has risen with de Jong is the only player under the age of 24 to start. The Barcelona philosophy is built on pressing but how are you meant to do that from the front with 33 year olds Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, who spends most of his time walking around the pitch because he can't play at the same intensity anymore.
This is the era of the superclub and you can contrast Barcelona to Liverpool or Manchester City or Bayern Munich and see the models they have in place have put them at the top. Who at Barcelona sanctioned the deal to sell Arthur, 24, in a swap deal with Juventus for, Miralem Pjanic, 30. There is no pace in this team and Pjanic is the answer?
Barcelona have every reason to be worried. Being a superclub means you have an endless amount of financial resources but the reports suggest Barcelona are broke. You would be paying Messi over £1 million a week. AC Milan won the league title in 2011 but have failed to finish above 5th since 2013 (3rd). In the mid-00s, Milan were a side full of stars and it seemed inconceivable a decline of this manner could be achieved.
Milan fell just before the effects of the superclubs were fully taking shape but Arsenal another example. Every season they qualified for the Champions League but from 2016 onwards, it's been a downward spiral. There is no investment from owner Stan Kroenke and the transfer position of working with nice agents (I'm looking at you Kia Joorabchian) has seen the club fall from 2nd to 5th to 6th to 8th.
Arsenal are the 7th richest club in the world, richer than Liverpool and PSG, and have fallen of Europe's top table. Barcelona are 2nd and it seems like it will happen unless changes do.
Elections are coming up and there's no way Josep Maria Bartomeu can continue. He'll be going, as will Quique Setien over the weekend, but will Lionel Messi? He's given the latter years of his career to this shambles of a club and hasn't won the one trophy he so desprately wants. Time isn't on his side, either, so I do think Messi has to leave Barcelona.
There needs to be a changing of the guard at Barcelona with Messi, Pique and Busquets all leaving. The class of 2009 have aged and are not at the same level to even a year ago, let alone five or ten. Barcelona pride themselves on being more than a club, but they are barely a functioning one.
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