Barça must kill off Atlético in the first leg.

Barça and Atlético Madrid renew acquaintances when they meet in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals clash. Barça will be hosting the first leg at the Camp Nou and with their chase for the treble still ongoing, they cannot afford to make things complicated. Therefore, Barça has to kill off Atlético in the first leg to ensure passage to the Semi-Finals.

Barça should only look at Real Madrid in how they eliminated Atlético when they met in the Copa del Rey Semi-Finals. Madrid defeated their cross town rivals 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu and made the second leg a foregone conclusion. Barça find themselves in a similar situation and by all means should obtain a similar result and avoid a difficult second leg at Atlético’s grounds.

Barça had done so at this stage in the past. Barça defeated Bayern Munich 4-0 at the Camp Nou during their first leg of the 2008-2009 UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals stage. They also demolished Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 in the first leg of the 2010-2011 UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals. Coincidentally, they ended up winning the competition both years. Barca also defeated Atlético 3-1 away in their first leg of their Copa del Rey clash back in 2008-2009 that basically sealed the Madrid club’s fate.

Barça can ill afford a negative or close result against Atlético in the first leg. If this club claims to be back in form, then they have to prove it. Beating Atlético would basically make it up an uphill journey for their opponents in the second leg but would also put other teams on notice. The month of April will be a demanding one for the Blaugrana and what better way to kick off a month than with a convincing win.

Last Hurrah For Barça.

El Clásico is upon us once again and since we’re nearing the final stretch of the season, it means more of these clashes are possibly around the corner. The Copa del Rey final is definitely on the books but if the eternal enemies do not meet in European competition, then for some of the core veterans of the Blaugrana, this will be their last ever visit to the Santiago Bernabéu in this sort of fixture. Furthermore, this could be their final quest for honours before they leave the Blaugrana.

Back in October, I discussed how rare it was to see managers face each other in El Clásico during their first year in charge. At the time, Barça were in first place and were being hunted. Fast-forward to today however, and Barça are now the hunters. The roles have been reversed with Barça and Tata facing an uphill climb to get back to the top of the mountain and figure out a system while Real Madrid are league leaders thanks to an amazing unbeaten run and Ancelotti seems to have settled on a formation that suits his players well.

Tomorrow’s clash at the Bernabéu reminds me of 2003-2004 as well. Barça were the visitors and were behind Real Madrid, who were also behind Valencia in a three team race for the league crown. Back on that April day, Barça came back from being a goal down and left the Spanish capital as victors. For many, that was considered the dawn of a new era for the Blaugrana and the signaled the beginning of the demise of Los Galacticos.

If this team wants to continue its run at winning more trophies which kicked off from that victory, with the minor hiccups in between, then it has to start tomorrow with a win. Unlike Ancelotti, I do believe tomorrow will decide the league. A loss by the Blaugrana and it’s over for them but a victory makes it a three way race with only 9 matches left. I understand that there will be 27 points up for grabs even if Barça lose and fall seven points back. However, I also don’t see Madrid dropping seven points. A draw would be somewhat anti-climactic but would keep the league interesting. However, both teams are gunning for a victory and also make a statement.

That is why tomorrow’s game for Barça means a lot. It’s not just to stay in the hunt for the league. It’s more than that; it’s also about making sure this collection of players enjoy one last hurrah before some of them ride off into the sunset. Wind of changes are swirling and headed towards Barcelona so for these guys, it very well could be their last journey together. For this Cule, I hope they make it worthwhile and one to remember.

Iniesta – The Straw That Stirs The Drink.

This season has been a tough one for Iniesta on the pitch, and more recently, off the pitch. Iniesta has seen his role limited by new manager Tata Martino until now. Hopefully the days of seeing Iniesta sitting on the bench are a thing of the past. Barça’s season is going through the final stretch and if they have any hopes of grabbing some silverware, then they better make sure Iniesta is on the pitch to make things happen.

Barça has seen Messi, Neymar and Jordi Alba miss playing time because of injuries. However, it was Iniesta’s injury back in January against Atlético Madrid that probably hurt Barça the most. It’s no coincidence that Barça’s season took a turn for the worst when Iniesta was out of action and when he was playing back to form. Without a doubt, it was frustrating, for the player and for the fans, to see Iniesta find himself out of the lineup often in the early part of the season.

It also has been a difficult time for Iniesta recently off the pitch as well. He and his wife suffered the tragic loss of their unborn child through miscarriage.  Iniesta’s wife had been staying at a hospital due to complications over her pregnancy and supposedly Iniesta was spending the night at the hospital to be by her side. If true, then that would explain Iniesta’s unusual performances as he was returning from his injury. Well, Iniesta missed the Valladolid game because of this ordeal and no one in their right mind would dare complain about his absence following that loss.

Iniesta’s performances these past two matches have been inspired and simply astounding. His presence has been deeply missed where the team just seems different altogether. Puyol may be the heart of the team, Xavi may be the brains and Messi might be the spirit of the team but Iniesta is the vision of the team. I once said that Iniesta should be considered one of the best players in the world and still stand by it. He is the straw that stirs the drink for both club and country and Barça’s titles’ aspiration rest with him.

Barça Should Bench Neymar.

Barça’s second half seems to be spiraling out of control even though the gap between them and their arch rivals is only separated by four points. The team seems to be playing without much direction and without much chemistry. It’s time for the team to go back to basics and that starts with fielding players who are used to playing together over the years. It also means that it’s time to bench Neymar.

Just two months ago, I wrote about the challenges that lie ahead for Neymar for the second half of this season. Unfortunately, he joined the ranks of Ibrahimovic and Cesc in hitting the wall during the second half of their debut seasons. Obviously the injury he suffered back in January and the never ending controversy surrounding his transfer have played a part in his poor performances. With no proof that his slump will end anytime soon, it’s time to bench Neymar.

With no end in sight for Barça’s recent woeful performances, it’s time for Barça to return to their essence. Time for the players to go back to the philosophy that helped became not just league champions but conquerors of the world. The cast that entertained us need to remember what got them those accolades and if Tata Martino is unsure how to do it, then field the players that had won under Pep and Tito and let them solve it. Watching Neymar seem lost and unsure is making it more difficult for the team to be cohesive. Messi playing next to Pedro and Alexis will probably be more beneficial to the team right now than watching a lost Neymar find his way.

Barça’s Reemergence Gravely Exaggerated.

Barça’s one week of positive results brought back praise from critics and supporters following their victories against Rayo Vallecano and Manchester City. However, all that exuberation was premature following this weekend’s loss to Real Sociedad. Barça no longer control their destiny but they can control their fate if they continue their trend of mediocre performances.

Since December, Barça have won six of their eleven league matches while losing three times and suffering two draws. Those results allowed Real Madrid to overtake them atop of the league summit. The poor trend of conceding silly goals continue and their lack of killer instincts along with subpar finishing has saw them relinquish that precious lead. These factors were also obvious in victories too but it seemed many preferred to ignore as if the ends justified the means.

Obviously, injuries are to blame but that is also part of the game. That is why teams invest in deep squads and are allowed to pursue other players in the winter transfer which the Blaugrana did not. However, the recent victories over Rayo and Manchester City made it seem that this club was back. However, I was not overly impressed. My issue was that those wins just were paints over the cracks. They demolished a poor Rayo team that are relegation food who cannot defend and even though they scored six goals, they were pretty wasteful early on. They also failed to go for the kill against a shorthanded City team by being too restrained and, wait for it, were wasteful with their scoring chances. They nearly allowed City to get back in it before Dani Alves scored in the final minute. The before mentioned poor habits reared its ugly head again when they looked flat and failed to finish most of their scoring chances against a determined Real Sociedad side and displayed comical defending that allowed Real Sociedad to score three goals.

Until Barça fix those problems, they will continue to fail to impress and to frustrate their fans. The quest for the treble culminates in a few months. Barça needs to kick start an impressive run in all competitions but they need to address their issues. Failure to do so will only lead to more problems for this club’s board and possible demise. 2006-2007 season is a perfect example of how everything can go up in smoke and Barça must avoid repeating that chapter again.

Barça condemning fans to relive the past.

Barça’s once five point atop of the standings lead has now become a thing of the past. They now find themselves three points behind Real Madrid.  Barça enjoyed most of the season being hunted but now find themselves as the hunters.  The time to find answers has to happen now or else they could end the season empty handed much like they did in the 2006-2007 season.

Yes, I am aware that Barça always drop points in the second half of the season, especially in February. However, I grow weary of such a trend especially when it allows arch rivals to be able to catch up and surpass our guys atop of the standings. Barça one had a commanding five point lead cushion but now find themselves three points behind Real Madrid. How could this have happened? Well, Real Madrid went on an impressive run where they managed to obtain 19 from 21 points in their last matches. Meanwhile, Barça, and Atlético, managed to only get 11 points from those 7 games.

The last time Barça was a in a three way race for the league crown was back in 2006-2007. They ended that season empty handed. Some of those players, the leaders of this team, were on that team too. The bitter memories of watching their club squander everything at the end was gut wrenching.  Now is the time for the team to fix their errors and stay focused for the next few months. Failure to do so will condemn them to relive the past and suffer in the present with doubts about the future. 

Copa del Rey needs a makeover.

Yet another Copa del Rey final will be upon us that will feature El Clásico rivals, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. However, this will not be about these teams going at it again. Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 25 years, everyone knows more than enough about this rivalry. Yet, it seems that the RFEF still manages the Copa del Rey without caring for its domestic and international audience. It is such a shame that a historic competition is still run in such an incompetent manner.

Some of the biggest problems plaguing this competition are on display in the stands where attendance keeps dwindling. The interest in this competition seems to be decreasing because of the late kick offs and the minute chance that a small club will win this competition, let alone reach the final. Furthermore, the Copa needs to solve the issue of organizing the final with a venue and date already set in place.

The lack of fans in the stands this year was very discouraging. Copa del Rey is a historic cup for Barça, who are the all-time winning side of this competition, yet, the Camp Nou was hardly packed. It sure didn’t help that kick off was on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings at 10 PM. Other teams had late night kick offs too which is never a great idea for a midweek game. It’s pretty obvious what will happen when fans have the option of watching the game from the comfort of their home, or from the comfort of their bed with some of these late kick offs, or going to the game. They are most likely going to stay home and watch the game. Hence, RFEF needs to ensure the games kick off at a reasonable time of day since they will not pre-empt weekends for it or change to the format to a single leg competition like the FA Cup.

Speaking of the FA Cup, perhaps RFEF should look at the FA Cup’s blueprint and change the rules regarding the pairings for each round. Currently, Copa del Rey has starts off with random draws for each round until the competition goes down to 32 teams. The draw then allows us to know which teams will face each other all the way to the final. That basically can let fans know whether their club has a chance to make it to the final. RFEF should follow the FA Cup’s blueprint and have random draws for each round without any seedings to stop protecting the big clubs from facing one another early on. That would generate more interest for the fans and keep it unpredictable. Sure, the Clásico cup final would attract huge ratings but think of the long term health of this cup too if domestic interest diminishes.

The other big issue hurting this competition is that, unlike most countries, Spain does not have a “national stadium” to host a cup final. England has Wembley stadium in London to host the FA Cup, Germany has the Olympiastadion in Berlin as the venue for the German cup/DFB-Pokal final. Yet, RFEF opts to wait till the finalists have been decided before choosing a venue for the final. Clearly, a national stadium will never be built and I can imagine the outrage if the Santiago Bernabéu was appointed as such.

Perhaps RFEF should take a page out of NFL‘s book and select the venue years in advance. You don’t see the NFL deciding a few weeks before the Super Bowl on where it should take place. Heck, UEFA already have their venues selected for this season and next season’s Champions League finals. Sadly, the RFEF opts to just keep dragging its feet on decisions that any well run organization would already have figured out from the get go. However, this is La Liga and we have grown accustomed to where going forward is hindered by the league doing things backwards.