CL R16 game 1: Newcastle - Barca

[Barcaman]

Already visited the ground few months ago and as long as they take it seriously from the start we should be fine.

 

[JamDav1982]

It's not about slowing down on purpose, or taking it easy. It's about mental exhaustion that comes from having to win every match or else you fail, vs a mentality where if you lose a match there's always the next you can win and everything is ok.

Nah Barca and Real can cruise in games against slowe/weaker/less technical teams.

It has its positive and negatives as can be less physically demanding but also can get used to beating those teams and bit of shock when step up.

Real this season would be nowhere near 2nd in EPL. Nowhere near it. They have been worse than Liverpool this season.

Its not some elite mental edge keeping Real 2nd.

Barca barely dipped out of top 2 when were nowhere near it in Europe for example.

 

[serghei]

Nah Barca and Real can cruise in games against slowe/weaker/less technical teams.

It has its positive and negatives as can be less physically demanding but also can get used to beating those teams and bit of shock when step up,

Barca and Real can cruise in games because they are bigger clubs. Bigger clubs than any EPL team.

 

[JamDav1982]

Barca and Real can cruise in games because they are bigger clubs. Bigger clubs than any EPL team.

No it is about quality not 'bigger club'.

Have Real been better than likes of Liverpool this season?

Them being 2nd is not the huge calling card made out.

 

[serghei]

No it is about quality not 'bigger club'.

Have Real been better than likes of Liverpool this season?

Them being 2nd is not the huge calling card made out.

Obviously quality is also higher in Barca, Madrid, sometimes not slightly higher, but far higher.

I mean, Barca are basically near-broke, Madrid are in huge upset, and still, in these bad days, they each have players above anything EPL has to offer in terms of complete package.

 

[JamDav1982]

Obviously quality is also higher in Barca, Madrid, sometimes not slightly higher, but far higher.

I mean, Barca are basically near-broke, Madrid are in huge upset, and still, in these bad days, they each have players above anything EPL has to offer in terms of complete package.

Quality is higher in Real Madrid than Liverpool/Arsenal etc this season?

Real better quality than City?

We will see.

Your arguments dont even make sense.

Are Barca/Real currently better than all EPL teams?

 

[serghei]

Quality is higher in Real Madrid than Liverpool/Arsenal etc currently?

Not for me.

Of course not at the moment, they are having a bad season. Why do you excuse City which is no1 EPL team in the last 5 years being outplayed and beaten home and away last season by an average Madrid side?

 

[JamDav1982]

Of course not at the moment, they are having a bad season. Why do you excuse City which is no1 EPL team in the last 5 years being outplayed and beaten home and away last season by an average Madrid side?

So what are you even arguing?

The argument is about the current state of the teams and leagues.

Not excusing City anything... they were poor for long spells last season and still this.

How do you excuse Arsenal thrashing City? Can be there all day with these.

 

[serghei]

So what are you even arguing?

The argument is about the current state of the teams and leagues.

You look at a very narrow time frame. I look at a wider frame, and at how teams deal with expectations. No team in EPL actually has expectation to win. If they win, fine, if they lose, well, Arsenal didn't win a title in 20something years. Liverpool 30something years.

The only Madrid or Barca caliber teams EPL produced so far in modern era are SAF United and Pep City. Mourinho Chelsea and Klopp Liverpool got close.

 

[Barcaman]

Squad is already there.

- Barca have already arrived in Newcastle. Flick changed the team’s travel plan to give the players more rest after the 0–1 win against Athletic Club.

Gavi has joined the Barça delegation.

The team will stay at the Matfen Hall Hotel Golf and Spa, about 30 km from Newcastle.

 

[JamDav1982]

You look at a very narrow time frame. I look at a wider frame, and at how teams deal with expectations. No team in EPL actually has expectation to win. If they win, fine, if they lose, well, Arsenal didn't win a title in 20something years. Liverpool 30something years.

The only Madrid or Barca caliber teams EPL produced so far in modern era are SAF United and Pep City.

There is more compeittion in EPL.. harder to 'expect to win'.

Barca and Real can be fairly average European level teams and do well domestically more often.

City have had a far far better ten years than likes of Barca if want to go down that road but not even relevant.

 

[serghei]

There is more compeittion in EPL.. harder to 'expect to win'.

Barca and Real can be fairly average European level teams and do well domestically more often.

This is not the reason.

Liverpool has same competition this season as in the last. In the last season they stormed it, this season they are not even in the title fight.

What changed is not the competition overnight, in 6 months. But the ability of Liverpool to own the frontrunner role and act on it for a long time. They can't.

 

[JamDav1982]

Liverpool have dropped but still been at level would fancy them to beat Real etc and be very close with Barca.

But in EPL that drop gets exposed and probably not make top 4.

Barca and Real are not some elite mentality monsters as finish top 2 in La Liga each season.

 

[Loki]

Squad is already there.

- Barca have already arrived in Newcastle. Flick changed the team’s travel plan to give the players more rest after the 0–1 win against Athletic Club.

Gavi has joined the Barça delegation.

The team will stay at the Matfen Hall Hotel Golf and Spa, about 30 km from Newcastle.

Let's hope it'll help to play the match with full intensity from minute 1.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2030660558073327829

 

[Rassvet]

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.

lol wat?

Chelsea and Liverpool have been fighting for every point in the league through March and April almost every season for the last decade either for CL spot or league title. Newcastle haven't been to the CL knockouts in decades before this season, so it's not true for them either.

It's maybe an advantage for Bayern and PSG but not for PL clubs over La Liga.