Erling Haaland
- Thread starter behindbrowneyes
- Start date
Fati_Future_BallonDor
Well-known member
In 15-16 we won two times against Atletico in league and lost to them in cl, you see the difference. Can't compare one competition with other competition.
serghei
Senior Member
Luck has nothing to do with it IMO. You simply have to deliver your best version when the competition, the stage, and the opponent demand this from you. Against Atletico, our players, MSN included, had huge issues in matching their intensity. Happened in 2013-14 too. Same recipe. Go hard, with intensity, with 60k fans making noise and putting pressure, and the lazier, physically weaker, and mentally questionable Barca players fold most of the time. The Liverpool tie was lost not much differently btw.
Playing your best football and then fizzling out in April-May when the biggest competition has the deciding games is... counterproductive to say the least. Every team knows this is the time to deliver your best version. Failing that and then putting this down to luck or some random thing is just wrong imo. It's about the strength of character and professionalism, to weigh in when you must bring your absolute most competitive and fiercest version. This is what Madrid did best, they knew when the occasion demanded 100% effort and just showed up in this area big time, every time, especially against physically strong sides like Atletico, Juventus, Bayern Munich. This is where players like Ronaldo, Benzema, even Bale, Ramos, Modric, and others were at a different level compared to someone like Neymar, or Suarez.
Suarez hasn't scored in a proper away match in CL since 6 YEARS AGO, and that was a header from 1m in front of an open goal
. If that doesn't show a lack of something under pressure nothing does. And Messi was on and off post-Pep (2014/2015 and partly 2018/2019 excluded, but these are 2 years in a decade, exceptions basically), putting up insane home matches and often disappearing and walking away from home, showing he himself has questionable behavior in pressure moments when things go sour. He just gives up.That MSN Barca had big issues dealing with bad moments. It wasn't a mature and very united team, but a fragmented collection of stars, who had their great treble season. Burned bright, but short. Ok, we can talk about winning your league, but plenty of teams win leagues every year. To be the very best, or top 2-3 you have to win your league (or fight for it until the end), and play in the final stages of CL, talking about a minimum semifinal.
Last edited:
BBZ8800
Senior Member
We were winning against them in a league when it matters less and when there is no sudden death.
And where you can fix your bad games in upcoming rounds.
When the stakes are high and you can get KO tonight, Barca is a different beast.
More like a bambi.
Happens almost every season.
Pep is using the same recipe, btw.
KingLeo10
Senior Member
Such a different beast that when the stakes are highest, Barca is 4-0 in CL finals in the modern era
Worst club ever. I would rather have Juve or AM's thugs and physical beasts and mentally strong players.
Fati_Future_BallonDor
Well-known member
We have to say though 3 of the Cl's were pre Pep leaving phase where barca was mentally strong, we loved the big games, especially at home. It changed after Pep left and came back just for one season under Lucho.
KingLeo10
Senior Member
CL finals are not as home. And stop quoting my every post. And then crying about me "following you around". It's an embarrassing look for you.
Fati_Future_BallonDor
Well-known member
ya but they were in 'pre Pep leaving time'.
I only reply when i disagree with a post.
Peps Barca was basically invincible at home in CL, but they somehow found ways to lose away.
CL is always tough, of course, but Pep did have a less than stellar away record, considering the team he had.
behindbrowneyes
Well-known member
Imo the loss against Atletico was one of fatigue more than weak mentality. Keyplayers were overplayed heavily and lacked the necessary freshness against a physically demanding Atletico.
Club addressed the issue with the lack of rotation options in the summer after, but Lucho's 3rd season was not good. The team was already in a downward spiral and MSN got figured out already like any great team. 3rd season is the most difficult from a coaching perspective imo, but also depends on the activity on the transfer market. Lucho's team peaked early because the squad was already very good, especially the starting XI.
Club addressed the issue with the lack of rotation options in the summer after, but Lucho's 3rd season was not good. The team was already in a downward spiral and MSN got figured out already like any great team. 3rd season is the most difficult from a coaching perspective imo, but also depends on the activity on the transfer market. Lucho's team peaked early because the squad was already very good, especially the starting XI.
What ??
Home of Barca Fans
