CL semis: Bayern - Barca 3-2 (3-5 agg.)

[Luftstalag14]

Sorry that the team and Lucho did not spend sleepless night on how to kill a meaningless game so it looks entertaining. Out of curiosity what Barca should have done to kill the meaningless game and not further humiliate Bayern in front of home fans. I don't remember seeing something like that before. Any ideas?

Alright, let's say we don't want to score any more goals to "humiliate" Bayern after scoring the two goals, fine, we could have controlled the possession, passing the ball around and not giving it away easily, have a sense of a midfield and not let our defense get exposed like that. And after Bayern equalized and scored the 3rd goal, we were still playing like we threw the game/or we simply were out-gamed.

 

[reDIOS10]

Guys it would have been amazing to score 3 or 4 goals or at least to go home with a win but still...The game was over. OVER. Do you guys not realize the intensity that is required, physically and mentally to play a team like Bayern. Constant pressing, tracking back, covering the spaces etc. Its a hellacious chess match. Now why you want to keep doing that when Bayern needed 6 goals to advance? Why not be smart and take the foot of the gas because we need the fuel more then we need to humiliate Bayern nor care if they play a meaningless half better than us.

How can you be angry at the way Barca played when it was clear we weren't playing anymore. And Bayern were fighting for their honor so they were still in the match. If you think that second half is at all a representation of this Barca, and you're somehow discontent about it, then you have a very short memory because the last 3 halfs in we were vicious and effective and not only went toe to toe with an extraordinary team, but actually we superior to them.

When a poor half overwhelms the fact we are heading for the motherfucking treble. Lawdy.

 

[nnao]

Sorry that the team and Lucho did not spend sleepless night on how to kill a meaningless game so it looks entertaining. Out of curiosity what Barca should have done to kill the meaningless game and not further humiliate Bayern in front of home fans. I don't remember seeing something like that before. Any ideas?

Well, it's not about Bayern in particular. There's a difference between killing off a game and just turning off completely. A good defensive team like Chelsea can usually just conserve energy and shut down a game when they need to but it doesn't always work for a possession team like Barca, Bayern, Porto, etc who aren't used to it. Porto tried to park the bus in the second leg but couldn't pull it off. Otherwise you just pass to death until the final whistle, which also conserves energy. It's not supposed to be entertaining either.

Barca look(ed) really uncomfortable whenever they weren't attacking, which works of course when you have three beasts up front who seemingly can play 90 mins every weekend. But you sub one off or one gets injured and it can be a big problem. Being able to shut a game down when you need to is important.

I think Bayern in 2012-13 were the best example of knowing how to keep momentum going throughout a game and through a season.

 

[Vlom]

Can this be considered our first loss of the season with the best 11 ?

Technically, best 11 won 2-1, then Suarez was taken out and we lost 0-2 ... I'd say best 11 still unbeaten

 

[KingLeo10]

if this was a must win game and we hadn't already won 3-0 in the first leg, I have no doubt that the team would have won

 

[serghei]

Of course, the fact that Bayern had nothing to lose also played a part. I won't deny that. Whatever the reasons may be, overall on the night, Bayern were much better than Barca imo. And it wasn't Barca players being "classy" that prevented a 7-0 type score line.

Barca stoped playing after they scored two goals. That was the main reason that gave you this impression. We could have score more goals if we made that a priority, as BMs defence was really bad on the night. Surely you must realise this. We would have scored a couple of goals in the 2nd half as well, but we did not see the need to do that, since the tie was over in min. 30.

 

[Sunny Mir]

I think that the 2nd half performance won't be repeated again because the opponents we are going to face next in all comp are not going to want the ball as much as bayern and are not going to press as good as then either for a whole game(except juve Mayb) because of the long season and that we will be more aware after this lose and not complacent. Visca el Barça.

 

[footyfan]

Barca stoped playing after they scored two goals. That was the main reason that gave you this impression. We could have score more goals if we made that a priority, as BMs defence was really bad on the night. Surely you must realise this. We would have scored a couple of goals in the 2nd half as well, but we did not see the need to do that, since the tie was over in min. 30.

Luis Enrique's post-match comments shows that Barca did not intentionally take their foot off the gas to conserve energy. Whether the players subconsciously became more complacent or whether Bayern pressured and attacked Barca a lot more in the second half, Bayern were better on the night. Don't understand what you get from denying this fact. It's not a big deal because the 2nd half performance probably won't be repeated again, but it did show other teams how to make Barca's defence uncomfortable - use the wings and a CF to lob the ball forward to.

Of course I suffered a little bit, like in every round. Obviously it was great to have such a cushion from the first leg, though it wasn't easy for us after Bayern took the lead. But we reacted well, scored an equaliser and secured a half-time advantage. The second half was different because they attacked more, but we have got to the final and we can still win every competition we are in. They attacked us and took risks but we know our players' strengths and how we can play.

Our forwards have a lot of qualities. They also have a good understanding between them. It is very difficult for an opponent to control them. We wanted to score early and to create chances from the off, and that gave us confidence. We controlled the game in the first half but then made a lot of mistakes in the second. It's a night when we have to be happy. It will now be different to experience the final as a coach, having had a prolific career as a player.

 

[Vlom]

A lot of media/reporters (eurosport, espn, "chiringuito" lol) are going with the angle of they switched off "partly" in sympathy with Pep.. I'm not saying it's the case or not, but the result of tonight does change a LOT for pep and his future with bayern, even though they're knocked out, winning tonight is not the same as if they had lost again by 3-1 or more, it's a valid point.

Pep is a barça legend, a very close friend to Luis Enrique, I'm sure that had a part in the mindset adopted once the tie was over, and just ask yourself this, if Barça had to win 3-1 to go through, do you think we would have failed to accomplish it ? I don't think so.

I personally do not care, bye bye bayern, bye bye pep, nos vamos a Berlin !!!


Pep with Neymar :

Pep with Messi :
[tw]598211537438932992[/tw]

Does it seem that far fetched that he'd joke around with them telling them something along the lines of "don't be a bitch, slow down with the goals" ?

 

[Jombi]

I totally disagree that other teams can learn something from Bayern's second half, and I believe that ppl shouldnt read too much into that second half. The tie was done and dusted.

 

[mssarm]

Alright, let's say we don't want to score any more goals to "humiliate" Bayern after scoring the two goals, fine, we could have controlled the possession, passing the ball around and not giving it away easily, have a sense of a midfield and not let our defense get exposed like that. And after Bayern equalized and scored the 3rd goal, we were still playing like we threw the game/or we simply were out-gamed.

because having Bayern to chase the ball all over the pitch is more dignifying . Bayern is not the team that will let you to pass the ball around. Again, they scored meaningless goals, just keep the fans happy and Barca let them to have that. I'm perfectly OK how we played in second half.

 

[pacp_96]

The team switched off and was playing at 60% for large spells of the game. I think we would have won if we had needed to but still disappoonted with a loss.

 

[Gaudi]

no need to overanalyse, this was Barca just doing the job in 3rd gear. We are in the finals, we have Copa final and most importantly La Liga is in our grasp

 

[6 Ballons for Messi]

Alright, let's say we don't want to score any more goals to "humiliate" Bayern after scoring the two goals, fine, we could have controlled the possession, passing the ball around and not giving it away easily, have a sense of a midfield and not let our defense get exposed like that. And after Bayern equalized and scored the 3rd goal, we were still playing like we threw the game/or we simply were out-gamed.

This is the con of lucho's team.
We are no longer capable of doing that against elite teams. We can no longer chill and circulate the ball waiting for the whistle blow.

 

[Ryu Hayabusa]

Luis Enrique's post-match comments shows that Barca did not intentionally take their foot off the gas to conserve energy. Whether the players subconsciously became more complacent or whether Bayern pressured and attacked Barca a lot more in the second half, Bayern were better on the night. Don't understand what you get from denying this fact.

Rather obvious, is it not?
I find such apologetic conspiracy theories highly entertaining btw. Glad, most of you are not like that, sore losers even when you have actually won.