Champions League Returns, So does FC Barcelona!
I had forgotten how sweet the champions league anthem sounds to the ears! Xavi had said midway through last season that listening to the champions league anthem makes him angry because Barcelona should have been playing it on the field and not listening from home.
He had a point.
For the past two seasons Barca were knocked out of the first round. And Liverpool were knocked out midway through the round of 16 last season. So I haven't really followed the Champions league much last year. Liverpool aren't even in the running this season, but it seem Barca have taken it upon them to alleviate the woes!
Is Barcelona really back?! I mean two 5-0 results on the trot indicates good times. The Barcelona I grew up watching used to score for fun. As fans we weren't satisfied even when we were up by 2-3 goals. We wanted more. But of late, for the last 4-5 years, we would actually be quite relieved when Barca finally manages to score one goal and we'd hope we could hold on to dear life that one goal somehow and scrape out a point.
But for the last couple of games, we had that Barca vibe back. Even after 5 goals I was expecting one more. Maybe even two more. Why not 3! That's how excited this group is getting the fans again. And to think we've done all this with the lowest spending among all the teams in the top leagues in Europe. Hell, even Royal Antwerp (yesterday's opponent) had spent like 3 times more money than us this summer. This is oddly satisfying.
Luxury of Rotation
After a long, long time, Barcelona finally has the luxury of quality rotational players! We have been plagued with injuries in the recent years (notably repeated injuries to Pedri and Araujo) and these injuries have been very very costly. The sole reason being we simply didn't have any quality to come off the bench and replace them well. This was exactly why we got knocked out of the champions league group stages for the last two seasons. Also, because we didn't have the replacements our main players had to play too much, they had to play every single minute every game when they were fit - hence resulting in them getting injured all the more. It's all really a vicious cycle!
But fast forward to this season - Pedri and Araujo (arguably our best two players) are injured again right at the start. But this time we haven't felt their absence, like at all! In defense to cover for Araujo we have Kounde, Chriestensen and Inigo Martinez - all exceptional performers. In midfield, despite pedri's injury we are spoilt for choices! Frenkie de jong, Gavi, Gundogan, Oriol Romeu, Fermin Lopez - all top contenders for a starting spot!
Luckily, up front we do not have any injuries. The quality off the bench has allowed Xavi to rotate the squad at will without compromising the quality of the lineup at all! Lamine yamal, Raphinha and Ferran Torres for the right wing, Felix and Torres for the left wing, and Lewandowski and Torres for the center - whatever permutation combination you do with this insanity, one thing stays constant - Quality of the attack!
We Barca fans deserve this luxury after years of watching the likes of Oscar mingueza, Serginio dest, lenglet, martin brathwite and a lot of nobodies make us a joke. No disrespect to any of these players - but they just don't belong at Barca. We didn't deserve it!
Oh the horrible days these lot have put us through! Felt like we were living the darkest days in Mordor being ruled by Sauron! And one day Frodo and gandalf and the rest rescued middle earth! Yes, I am rewatching the entire Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series!
New signings fitting straight in!
Felix is loving life at Barcelona! I must admit, given his previous records at Atleti and Chelsea - I was really, REALLY against this move. But it seems he was just a victim of a faulty system. At Atleti it is a crime to score more than one goal and chelsea is, well...chelSHIT! Joao Felix, take my hearty apology you beast! 2 starts - 2 man of the match performances!
Joao Cancelo - again, FINALLY a proper right back at my club! Yes I sound like a broken record but please - for years we have endured the likes of Dest and Mingueza....let me have my moment!
Oriol Romeu, came off the bench and kept things calm and controlled in the middle of the park. Business as usual. Only 3.5 million for him - if insane business had a face!
Silent Masterclass!
Frenkie and Ter Stegen silently dropped another masterclass! Add Gavi to the list too and he is just 19. What these 3 does is often unnoticed in the larger context of the game. But anyone who actually understands football and watches the matches and not just the highlights have to be in love with what these 3 bring on the field for Barcelona. So it is kinda difficult to write and explain what they are doing for the team, watch the next Barca game.
Lewandowski was among the goals again and I can't stress this enough how important it is for Lewa to have that strikers instinct firing on all cylinders if we are to give Real Madrid and the referees a run for their money in La Liga and all of europe a run for their money in the Champions League. Raphinha's confidence seems to be reflecting Ferran Torres'. That's what competition can do for a squad!
Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres - as sharp as ever!
Champions League - Here we come!
https://peakd.com/@bpcvoter3 https://peakd.com/@bpcvoter2 https://peakd.com/@bpcvoter1 !PGM !LOL !GIF !LUV #STOPTHEABUSEONHIVE
Via Tenor
it really does not impress me what just happen although I still think Barcelona has a good team to even go to the final four depending on who they have to face, Balde just extend his contract and Ferran is doing great so the team seems strong, hope no injuries 🤞
Yes let's hope for no injuries.
The team will only get stronger as they play together more. A lot of the players just got here, so the understanding will improve as the season goes on.