I get what you're saying but Champions League is different playground.
Real won CL while finishing 5th in La Liga.
We can lose easily of we don't go in focused and motivated.
CL R16 game 1: Newcastle - Barca
- Thread starter Andresito
- Start date
I get what you're saying but Champions League is different playground.
Real won CL while finishing 5th in La Liga.
We can lose easily of we don't go in focused and motivated.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Yeah anything can happen and will need to play well but Newcastle not in great form either and not one of the stronger teams in that league.
Real in past have fucked off La Liga for CL at times when cant win it.
Newcastle are still battling each week in EPL as not great for them to miss out on European Football and doubt they believe winning CL can save that.
Yeah, we miss 3 starters and have everything to play for at home.
Is this true though or will he show up like injured players usually do against us
Loki
Well-known member
Most important part will be to start the game with full intensity, otherwise it can result in the same shit as against Atletico first leg. That's one of the biggest weaknesses of the team and the opponents know this. Expect Newcastle press hard from the start. We need to stand our ground, we can't always rely on remontadas.
serghei
Senior Member
We need to learn from what happened in AM game in the cup. This is the only scenario which, should it happen, gets us in potentially big trouble.
These teams aren't great in terms of technique, certainly not comparable to us, but they do have intensity, and they can put you under pressure with pace and physical robustness in duels. If you don't start cold and tentative against them, ride the storm early on with confidence, we have all the tools to dispose of them.
Teams like Newcastle and AM, if they start strong and are met with fire by us, they settle down, realize the opponent has the answers, and we eventually outplay and outpass them. We already did this to AM several times, and also did this vs Newcastle in the first game vs them. We can do this again and it's basically up to us completely. We show up with a good version, and physically well, we win. Heavy legs, and not strong in duels, and we could easily be in one of those nights to forget.
These teams aren't great in terms of technique, certainly not comparable to us, but they do have intensity, and they can put you under pressure with pace and physical robustness in duels. If you don't start cold and tentative against them, ride the storm early on with confidence, we have all the tools to dispose of them.
Teams like Newcastle and AM, if they start strong and are met with fire by us, they settle down, realize the opponent has the answers, and we eventually outplay and outpass them. We already did this to AM several times, and also did this vs Newcastle in the first game vs them. We can do this again and it's basically up to us completely. We show up with a good version, and physically well, we win. Heavy legs, and not strong in duels, and we could easily be in one of those nights to forget.
Last edited:
serghei
Senior Member
Btw, how many times does Barcelona arrive in March - April with high pressure matches in every game week after week for months. It's basically the story of almost every season. Teams like Newcastle, Chelsea, Liverpool, many others, they arrive in March while fighting on multiple fronts maybe once or twice in a decade. It takes its toll. That's why trebles happen so rarely in competitive leagues.
Certainly takes a toll but at least it should forge these young players mental fortitude.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Teams in EPL are fighting each week for league positions/Europe against better and much more physical sides.
Making out they have advantage with less to play for isnt correct.
Making out they have advantage with less to play for isnt correct.
serghei
Senior Member
Well, that's about the difference. Others fight to finish 6th, 7th and see it a success. Others fight with the pressure of ending up 2nd as a bad outcome. Only winning counts for the biggest sides.
That's why teams like Madrid have 15 European titles. Because they are 2nd domestically for 2 years in a row and they are outraged and want heads to roll. It doesn't matter their team won most CLs in the last 5 years.
That's why teams like Madrid have 15 European titles. Because they are 2nd domestically for 2 years in a row and they are outraged and want heads to roll. It doesn't matter their team won most CLs in the last 5 years.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Eh?
No one is claiming Newcastle are as big a club as Barca or as likely to win.
Just making up shit to argue against.
The teams in EPL dont ever have it easy as nothing to play for.
If anything the La Liga teams can cruise v poorer teams more often.. and it probably hurts them at times in recent years as look shocked when come up against pace and power of other teams.
No one is claiming Newcastle are as big a club as Barca or as likely to win.
Just making up shit to argue against.
The teams in EPL dont ever have it easy as nothing to play for.
If anything the La Liga teams can cruise v poorer teams more often.. and it probably hurts them at times in recent years as look shocked when come up against pace and power of other teams.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
You make no sense as per usual.
No one is saying '7th is success' but the teams who are in and around there are fighting each week to get there if thats what is on front of them.
Just as when Barca were fighting Girona for 2nd in League under Xavi.. they all knew had to over take them.. no one though it a 'success'.
The EPL teams dont slow down as have 'nothing to play for'.
There are far far weaker teams technically in La Liga than EPL and pace/power is on a different level across the board.
No one is saying '7th is success' but the teams who are in and around there are fighting each week to get there if thats what is on front of them.
Just as when Barca were fighting Girona for 2nd in League under Xavi.. they all knew had to over take them.. no one though it a 'success'.
The EPL teams dont slow down as have 'nothing to play for'.
There are far far weaker teams technically in La Liga than EPL and pace/power is on a different level across the board.
serghei
Senior Member
It's not about slowing down on purpose, or taking it easy. It's about mental exhaustion that comes from having to win nearly every match or else you fail, vs a situation where if you lose a match there's always the next you can win and everything is ok. Why? Because the objective is almost never to win the competition. You just compete.
Conte said it best when managing Tottenham. Compete for what? 5th, 6th?
It's night and day difference.
Home of Barca Fans
