Barcelona In Decline?

[carmine]

Barcelona well beaten by Real Madrid 3-1 in the 2nd leg Copa Del Rey semi final tonight 4-2 on agreggate. Only a late Barca goal took the bare look off the scoreline. They handed the inititive to Real in the 13th minute when Pique stupidly dived in on Ronaldo in the area to concede a penalty. Thereafter they posed little threat to Real and 2 goals in the first half of the 2nd half had Real coasting.

Like last week Barcelona trying to pass their way through a lot of bodies and failing. No sleepless nights I would imagine after this in Milan. Barcelona are treading water.

Maybe there is some truth about the blood doping going on at Barca, why else can a team chase the ball for 90 mins at there intensity without some aid?

Because most of the 90 mins they are camped in one half of the pitch

[rixalex]

And Barca get beaten again...

[carmine]

And Barca get beaten again...

Should have had a cast iron penalty by all accounts to make it 2-2, but yes they are looking a little vulnerable now.

Milan should be going into the 2nd leg with a great deal of belief. The Utd/Real 2nd leg could be a classic and ofcourse the trebles still on Rix, Nev and Ed isn't it!!

[MrRed]

Fishing this morning again Carmine....so predictable you have become! yawn again.

[carmine]

Fishing this morning again Carmine....so predictable you have become! yawn again.

Then again you could have become paranoid Ed!!

Nothing more than my thoughts for the morning. Anyways, is this not the case? Have ci missed something?

[MrRed]

Fishing this morning again Carmine....so predictable you have become! yawn again.

Then again you could have become paranoid Ed!!

Nothing more than my thoughts for the morning. Anyways, is this not the case? Have ci missed something?

A bigger hook

[carmine]

Fishing this morning again Carmine....so predictable you have become! yawn again.

Then again you could have become paranoid Ed!!

Nothing more than my thoughts for the morning. Anyways, is this not the case? Have ci missed something?

A bigger hook

So are you not giving yourselves a chance of a treble or are you just too nervous to talk about it?

Ooooooh the suspense!!!!

[MrRed]

Fishing this morning again Carmine....so predictable you have become! yawn again.

Then again you could have become paranoid Ed!!

Nothing more than my thoughts for the morning. Anyways, is this not the case? Have ci missed something?

A bigger hook

So are you not giving yourselves a chance of a treble or are you just too nervous to talk about it?

Ooooooh the suspense!!!!

Well we are in with a chance are we not! actually we have done it before also have you?

[carmine]

Well yes. Why did you think i was asking the question, trigger?

[MrRed]

Well yes. Why did you think i was asking the question, trigger?

You have done it before have you Rodney?

[jellydog]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/sports/soccer/taking-stock-of-barcelonas-troubles-in-champions-league.html?hp

The opinions in this article strike me as being overly optimistic. If Barca isn't concerned about Messi not getting enough scoring help I'd be surprised. For my money the only other pure finisher on the squad is Villa, and he's not back to form after the broken leg, and not getting any younger either. Pedro has plenty of pace but struggles to set up his own shot. Sanchez has oodles of talent but seems to lack football sense. Iniesta is a sublime player, but Xavi getting older, often out with one knock or another. Fabregas seems hot and cold and competing with either Xavi or Iniesta for a starting spot probably hasn't helped him.

The defense might even be more problematic. Puyol older and severely beat up with one bad injury after another over the past two years. Pique possibly f_ucked out and seems inconsistent. Alves is not any quicker and can be a liability defensively. Valdez has signaled he's on the way out and recently mouthed his way into a 4 game suspension. Mascherano is a warrior, but has been forced into a CB role by all the injuries over the past two years. He's not really a CB and it shows at times.

All in all, lots of issues and many of them have not been addressed. So yeah, I'd say Barca has much to be concerned about.

Now watch them catch fire and win out in the CL.

[SantiSuk]

Not much evidence of decline tonight, though a power cut meant I only saw the second half.

I thought AC Milan were very poor. The commentators were trying to ramp up how exciting the game was, because one goal from ACM would have given Barca a 2 goal requirement, but (1) ACM looked as likely to score as my FILs chickens in the second half and (2) Barca would have gone and got 2 more goals anyway.

Still, worth another look at that sublime possession football.

[smokie36]

Italian football in decline thread?

[salty]

Marvellous entertainment. The early sublime Messi goal was just what the game needed. 2 huge breaks for Barca within a minute. Miang hit the post for Milan when through and a minute later Messi scored a second. He was offside but Barca should have had a penalty earlier.

Villa put Barca ahead with a beautiful curler into the corner after the Milan full back had sold himself. Barca had to survive a few hair raising moments as Milan came in search of the away goal that would have put them in control. I don't agree with Santi Suk. I feel if Milan had got the away goal they would have gone through and they were mighty close to it a few times in the closing stages.

Milan were going for broke in last few minutes and in a Barca breakaway Alba scored the 4th. Terrific game.

[jellydog]

So much for my "death of Barca" post. Hard to put a nail in a club that features Lionel Messi.

[carmine]

So much for my "death of Barca" post. Hard to put a nail in a club that features Lionel Messi.

Or Iniesta, Xavi Busquets Villa Puyol Pique etc etc etc....Barcelona are far from in decline. Just had an off day in the first leg!!!

[StevieH]

some result that. and that first goal of messi's, wow. some fascinating quarter-finals in prospect. and about five or six conceivable cup winners as well.

[jellydog]

Wonder goals from Messi who makes it look so easy. With the added delight of making Mexes, the intolerable brat, look the fool.

[Chicog]

240 quid @ 11/10 Barca to go through. Result!

[StevieH]

Late Barça goal nets punter £49,432.50 by completing correct score four-fold

• Barcelona were 12-1 to win 4-0
• Punter got four Champions League results right

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/mar/12/champions-league-bet-win-correct-scores

When Barcelona's Jordi Alba raced clear of the Milan defence in injury time on Tuesday night, the home supporters in the Camp Nou might have fancied themselves as the most nervous people in the world at that moment. They'd have been wrong, because there was someone with a little more than footballing happiness riding on the outcome.

After the first-leg games, an unnamed punter wagered £5 on a four-fold bet, predicting the scores of four of the second legs. The odds worked out at 9,886.5-1 – and they were that long with good reason.

First, Borussia Dortmund won at home to Shakhtar Donetsk, by a score of 3-0, at odds of 12-1, and at the same time Real Madrid beat Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford, the price for which was 8-1. Then, the following evening, Paris Saint-Germain and Valencia played out a 1-1 draw at Parc des Princes, an 11-2 shot, before, finally and at the very last, Barcelona recorded that 4-0 win over Milan.

The happy, and no doubt relieved individual, will enjoy a pay-out of £49,432.50.

[MiG16]

I don't think so Rix because they are not an ageing side held together by their manager.

LOL

I would close this thread based on how ridiculous it makes the footie forum look

but out of respect for Jamesy and the fact that ManU in decline (thread) continues ...I will let this one run

[Chicog]

Maybe you could change the title to "Barcelona Coach in decline".

[rixalex]

I don't think so Rix because they are not an ageing side held together by their manager.

LOL

I would close this thread based on how ridiculous it makes the footie forum look

but out of respect for Jamesy and the fact that ManU in decline (thread) continues ...I will let this one run

Don't worry Miggsy, this thread was started purely on the premise of desperate wishful thinking, on my part... much like how the United in Decline thread all began and indeed continues....

[rixalex]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22254778

Well and truly thumped.

[StevieH]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22254778

Well and truly thumped.

yup, they got some cans of whup-ass in specially didn't they? barcelona perhaps paying the price for not reinforcing their defensive options over the past couple of seasons.

bayern do look bloody magnificent though. loads of technique and ability but they're all big and fast as well.

[rixalex]

bayern do look bloody magnificent though. loads of technique and ability but they're all big and fast as well.

Yep they look amazing. Could be a force to be reckoned with and king's of Europe for a few seasons to come i think.

[StevieH]

bayern do look bloody magnificent though. loads of technique and ability but they're all big and fast as well.

Yep they look amazing. Could be a force to be reckoned with and king's of Europe for a few seasons to come i think.

they've already signed gotze for next season and are probably getting lewandowski as well. ridiculous squad depth.

[carmine]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22254778

Well and truly thumped.

yup, they got some cans of whup-ass in specially didn't they? barcelona perhaps paying the price for not reinforcing their defensive options over the past couple of seasons.

bayern do look bloody magnificent though. loads of technique and ability but they're all big and fast as well.

Yes their defense is very wanting isn't it. I think it might have been scrutinized more in the rent past had it not been for them winning games by scoring loads

[redrus]

The size of their midfielders, proper big lads that have the skill and the football nouse to mix it with the supposedly more skilful imps of Barca....

I doff my cap Beyern Munchen...... Incredible display and, a great atmosphere.

All German final anyone..., oh how Platini and Blatter would love that.

redrus

[MrRed]

bayern do look bloody magnificent though. loads of technique and ability but they're all big and fast as well.

Yep they look amazing. Could be a force to be reckoned with and king's of Europe for a few seasons to come i think.

they've already signed gotze for next season and are probably getting lewandowski as well. ridiculous squad depth.

And the new manager of course!