Champions League

BarcelonaBiondi said:

One can also argue that other teams have adapted to us since then. Football and the world of football has been forced to evolve to solve our vaunted midfield and beat us.

Iniesta was a great loss. In some ways more than that of Xavi (whom I consider the heart and soul of Barcelona).

Zidane and Cristiano leaving Madrid (essentially disassembling Madrid) meant that we never got the chance to go up against the top Madrid team of recent times (some would say the very best Madrid team of all time in Europe) in an El Clasico Champions League Final.

Wonder who would win: 2015, 2011, 2009 Barcelona vs 2014 2016-2018 Real Madrid

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I think the 2009/2011 Barca would still wipe out most teams.

Also, I think we would win most of the games against Madrid. it's the other teams in CL that cause us headaches.

BarcelonaBiondi said:

One can also argue that other teams have adapted to us since then. Football and the world of football has been forced to evolve to solve our vaunted midfield and beat us.

Iniesta was a great loss. In some ways more than that of Xavi (whom I consider the heart and soul of Barcelona).

Zidane and Cristiano leaving Madrid (essentially disassembling Madrid) meant that we never got the chance to go up against the top Madrid team of recent times (some would say the very best Madrid team of all time in Europe) in an El Clasico Champions League Final.

Wonder who would win: 2015, 2011, 2009 Barcelona vs 2014 2016-2018 Real Madrid

Click to expand...

2016 and 2018 Madrid aren't anything special. 2014 was very strong, 2017 their strongest ever side IMO.

In the forward line, you have BBC/Di Maria versus combinations of Messi, Henry, Eto'o, Suarez, Neymar, Villa, Pedro. Advantage Barca except for 2011 where I would say it's even.

Both teams play with a fairly high line with hyper attacking fullbacks. Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Alves, Abidal, Alba v Modric Kroos Isco Casemiro Marcelo Carvajal. Madrid's strength in CL has been a midfield/FB combination better than anyone else's in Europe. Unfortunately, we at one point had the best midfield of all time, indisputably. Clear advantage Barca

Defense/GKs: I think the combination of Varane, Ramos, Pepe has been better than Puyol, Pique, Mascherano. Better at scoring key headers too. TS is probably on par with Navas and Valdes probably on par with out of prime Casillas.

2009 Barca, 2011 Barca are favorites, 2015 Barca v 2017 Madrid is a toss-up.

What Madrid did better us (and every other club) at is consistency in CL. Their level in CL since over last 8 years (since 2011) is unmatched.

3 Semis, W, Semi, W, W, W

Ajax & Dinamo Zagreb starts their respective UCL play-off games in 21:00 CET

Ajax 1-0 up already.

1-1

We might get De Jong if ajax dont qualify

FDJ's defensive positioning is really good. Seen him make like 3 interceptions and a couple tackles already, their most consistent ball-winner so far in midfield. Also a couple nice runs/passes and good overall play.

3-1

FCBfan22 said:

I think the 2009/2011 Barca would still wipe out most teams.

Also, I think we would win most of the games against Madrid. it's the other teams in CL that cause us headaches.

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I honestly doubt they would wipe simeone's atletico in their prime


That was best defensive team i ever watched

vlad said:

I honestly doubt they would wipe simeone's atletico in their prime


That was best defensive team i ever watched

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I believe that the 2009 Barca would wipe prime Atleti, but the 2011, I have my doubts if they could win against Atleti.

Atletico's super defence barely got past a weak version of Barca in the CL and lost to Real Madrid in the final.

I'm confident the 2011 edition would beat them too. That attack and midfield was off the charts and would put their defence under siege for 180 minutes until it eventually start letting in goals.

Catta said:

I believe that the 2009 Barca would wipe prime Atleti, but the 2011, I have my doubts if they could win against Atleti.

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I rate 2011 Barca slightly better than 2009 (Despite losing CDR)

If you watch the CL finals too 2009 was much more even than in 2011.. 2011 was just a masterclass from us.

How come you think 2009 is better? (Genuine question)

Vilarrubi said:

I rate 2011 Barca slightly better than 2009 (Despite losing CDR)

If you watch the CL finals too 2009 was much more even than in 2011.. 2011 was just a masterclass from us.

How come you think 2009 is better? (Genuine question)

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the 2009 united side was IMO the strongest runner up of the CL era (juventus 03 is very close). super class attack (CR7, rooney, tevez, berbatov), super defense (evra, rio, vidic, VDS). only their midfield was weak with aging scholes, carrick, giggs etc.

they had dropped off noticeably by 2011 and we absolutely dominated them as a result. The actual CL final in 2011 was the el clasico semis.

also the talk of us having trouble with atletico at our strongest is non-sense. we beat them 7 times in a row home and away in 2015. our 2011 and 2009 sides would put them under a never ending siege.

Vilarrubi said:

I rate 2011 Barca slightly better than 2009 (Despite losing CDR)

If you watch the CL finals too 2009 was much more even than in 2011.. 2011 was just a masterclass from us.

How come you think 2009 is better? (Genuine question)

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You can't compare the finals only, in 2009 we played without both starting fullbacks, Alves and Abidal were suspended.

The 2009 team seems more complete to me than the 2011. Our defense was better with a younger Puyol and Abi, and for me the attack especially was much better than the one in 2011. Henry-Messi-Eto'o, were more equal between themselves than Villa-Messi-Pedro, where Messi alone was more effective and crucial than both Villa and Pedro combined. Also with Henry and Eto'o offered more pace, power, strength and aerial ability, unlike Villa and Pedro. It's also arguable that 2011 had the better midfield, Xavi in 2009 had his best season ever, Yaya was a force of nature in midfield, but not as technical and smart as Busi, Iniesta was entering his prime in '11 and was superior to his '09 self.

If I had to choose one of those two teams to have today, I would always choose the 2009 one, it's technically weaker than 2011 one, but is physically a couple levels above.

Catta said:

You can't compare the finals only, in 2009 we played without both starting fullbacks, Alves and Abidal were suspended.

The 2009 team seems more complete to me than the 2011. Our defense was better with a younger Puyol and Abi, and for me the attack especially was much better than the one in 2011. Henry-Messi-Eto'o, were more equal between themselves than Villa-Messi-Pedro, where Messi alone was more effective and crucial than both Villa and Pedro combined. Also with Henry and Eto'o offered more pace, power, strength and aerial ability, unlike Villa and Pedro. It's also arguable that 2011 had the better midfield, Xavi in 2009 had his best season ever, Yaya was a force of nature in midfield, but not as technical and smart as Busi, Iniesta was entering his prime in '11 and was superior to his '09 self.

If I had to choose one of those two teams to have today, I would always choose the 2009 one, it's technically weaker than 2011 one, but is physically a couple levels above.

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I'm not just comparing one game mate, I just mentioned it.

Other reasons for me thinking Barca was better in 2011 would be:

- Winning the league with 96 points against Mourinho's Madrid who got 92 (2011 Madrid was much better than 2009)
- Messi's level and influence much better than 2009
- 2011 best midfield of all time

I agree on the point of Henry-Messi-Eto'o being more balanced than Villa-Messi-Pedro.. but I think how good Messi was in 2011 with Villa and Pedro in top form the 2011 one is slightly better.

Heard that UEFA will introduce VAR from quarter-finals