A season of breathtaking football comes down to this. Two weeks that will define the 8 months that went before. It doesn't matter that you played beautiful football. It doesn't matter that your starting 11 contains about 4 of the best players in world football. It doesn't matter that your front three have scored more goals than entire squads. Football can be a cruel sport, because at the end of the day it is the people with trophies in their hands that get remembered. Arsenal learned this lesson the hard way last season, and it is not impossible that Barcelona may learn it this time around.
In the next three weeks -- starting tonight -- they play Sevilla, Valencia, Real Madrid and Villarreal in La Liga, with two games against Chelsea and a Copa del Rey final on the side. In three weeks time Barcelona may well have two hands on one trophy and one hand on two other trophies, what with La Liga all but sewn up and a Champions League final to look forward to. Alternatively, they could have lost the Cope del Rey final, gotten knocked of the Champions League, and somehow -- somehow -- have let La Liga slip out of their grasp. Make no mistake about it. Barcelona are walking on a fine line between glorious success and crippling failure.
Their lead in La Liga is down to three points after a remarkable comeback by Mardid last night. Will such dramatic circumstances play on Catalan minds? After all, they were within a successful penalty of effectively winning the league, but all of a sudden Madrid -- while lacking talent, skill, and many other redeeming qualities -- have momentum and belief on their side. Barcelona disposed of Sevilla easily before Christmas, but when the pressure is really on will they be able to repeat that feat? And will they be able to do so without Messi, who may just miss out on tonight's game?
Assuming things go according to script and Barcelona and Madrid win their upcoming games, then we are in for one hell of an El Classico. It will be do or die for Madrid, and yet even if they do they will still be relying on the kindness of other teams. Still, defeat of Barcelona could trigger much unrest in the minds of their sworn enemies, and who knows what may happen as a result?
Barcelona have the added pressure of two tough Champions League games, where they will be severely tested by a Chelsea side determined to atone for last season's slip up. Will they able to cope with such demands? I hope so, because I would love to see the team who play the best football get rewarded for it - much like Spain were at the Euro's. And also, it would be an absolute shambles to see that dire Madrid team get their talentless paws on a piece of silverware. Could you imagine seeing Gago and Marcelo lifting the trophy instead of Xavi and Iniesta? I think I would cry.
So come on Barca! Do it for the neutrals. Do it for the beautiful game.
In the next three weeks -- starting tonight -- they play Sevilla, Valencia, Real Madrid and Villarreal in La Liga, with two games against Chelsea and a Copa del Rey final on the side. In three weeks time Barcelona may well have two hands on one trophy and one hand on two other trophies, what with La Liga all but sewn up and a Champions League final to look forward to. Alternatively, they could have lost the Cope del Rey final, gotten knocked of the Champions League, and somehow -- somehow -- have let La Liga slip out of their grasp. Make no mistake about it. Barcelona are walking on a fine line between glorious success and crippling failure.
Their lead in La Liga is down to three points after a remarkable comeback by Mardid last night. Will such dramatic circumstances play on Catalan minds? After all, they were within a successful penalty of effectively winning the league, but all of a sudden Madrid -- while lacking talent, skill, and many other redeeming qualities -- have momentum and belief on their side. Barcelona disposed of Sevilla easily before Christmas, but when the pressure is really on will they be able to repeat that feat? And will they be able to do so without Messi, who may just miss out on tonight's game?
Assuming things go according to script and Barcelona and Madrid win their upcoming games, then we are in for one hell of an El Classico. It will be do or die for Madrid, and yet even if they do they will still be relying on the kindness of other teams. Still, defeat of Barcelona could trigger much unrest in the minds of their sworn enemies, and who knows what may happen as a result?
Barcelona have the added pressure of two tough Champions League games, where they will be severely tested by a Chelsea side determined to atone for last season's slip up. Will they able to cope with such demands? I hope so, because I would love to see the team who play the best football get rewarded for it - much like Spain were at the Euro's. And also, it would be an absolute shambles to see that dire Madrid team get their talentless paws on a piece of silverware. Could you imagine seeing Gago and Marcelo lifting the trophy instead of Xavi and Iniesta? I think I would cry.
So come on Barca! Do it for the neutrals. Do it for the beautiful game.
2 comments:
I think another Iniesta love-in is fully justified
I actually missed tonight's game! Usually my social life doesn't get in the way of my footy watching -- since, you know, I don't have one -- but tonight that was the case. There is a guy who posts Youtube clips of everything that Iniesta does in a game though, so things could be worse.
Regarding a love-in, here's a controversial statement which I may come back to in a later post: Barcelona are worse with Iniesta out than with Messi out. Discuss.
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