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Who can stop Barcelona magicians' European run?

26th February, 2016
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Barcelona waved goodbye to Neymar, pocketing over $300 million. (photo: AFP)
Expert
26th February, 2016
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“I say ‘abracadabra’ and the magic sparks – that is all I do!”

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique’s response about how he gets the best out Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar may have been tongue-in-cheek, but there is little arguing his attacking trio can produce match-winning performance on their own.

The clinical and unstoppable Barca machine continued to wow football fans worldwide, as the Catalans defeated Arsenal 2-0 in the Champions League round of 16 first leg this week. Messi scored both goals, and it was a classic display from Enrique’s team.

The Gunners had performed superbly for 71 minutes, not only keeping compact and organised in all facets of their game as they surrendered possession, but also fashioning game-defining chances that could have seen them produce a memorable upset.

Apart from a lapse in the final minutes of the first half, Arsenal had the better chances and should have gone ahead through either Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the first half – the England winger guilty of a glaring miss – or Olivier Giroud – whose superb header was brilliantly foiled by Marc-Andre ter Stegen on 59 minutes.

Yet Barcelona did what they do best – hit their opponents on the counter-attack during a period where they were on the ropes.

From Giroud’s header until the 71st minute, Arsenal were looking dangerous, holding more ball than they had all game. You could sense a Gunners goal.

Yet Barca’s attacking trio laughed in the face of the short-lived role reversal. Neymar picked up possession in his own half, turned and fed Suarez. Up until then Arsenal had two opportune moments to make a tactical foul – an art Barca are well versed in, especially through the ridiculously underrated Sergio Busquets – to break down the counter attack.

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Yet Suarez returned possession to Neymar, the Brazilian pushed forward and expertly squared the ball for Messi, who was never going to miss from 11 metres out.

In an instant, the game was Barcelona’s again. Thanks to a blistering and yet simple passage of play involving Enrique’s deadly magicians.

It was a similar scenario to the Champions League final in Berlin last season, where Juventus were causing Barcelona all sorts of problems with the scores level at 1-1. Enrique would have been nervous.

The Italians looked the more likely to break the deadlock after coming back from 1-0 down thanks to an Alvaro Morata strike. Massimiliano Allegri’s tactics were working well, but there is little you can do as a coach against individual brilliance.

Paul Pogba lost out in a 50-50 duel deep in Barcelona’s half, Rakitic immediately picked up possession and fed Messi, who in turn ran at the Juve defence and sent off a low drive. Gianluigi Buffon could only parry, Suarez was on hand to clean up the scraps.

It was a lethal one-two punch. Three players, three actions, one goal. From there Barcelona cruised, finishing 3-1 as deserved victors.

While the Catalans often dominate teams through possession, they can be nullified. Arsenal proved that for 71 minutes. The only problem is that there appears no team that can keep the pace for a full 90.

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Even if Arsenal had taken a 1-0 lead to Camp Nou for the second leg, in all likelihood the Spanish giants would have quashed their optimism with a crushing and ruthless display in front of their own fans.

It is hard enough to defeat Barcelona in 90 minutes, let alone over 180.

And it begs the question – who can beat Barcelona in the Champions League this season?

Arsenal are by no means an example of a world-class team, they are not even the best in England this season. Neither are Manchester City, who are equally inconsistent, prone to major lapses and unlikely to win the Premier League.

The Citizens have Sergio Aguero – who would have claims to be the world’s best striker alongside Suarez if he could stay fit – but when he has an off game they can be woefully toothless. And let’s not even delve into their defence.

Out of the other clubs left in the Champions League, you would not put lofty bets on Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea to trouble the Catalans, while Real Madrid have the personnel and renewed momentum under Zinedine Zidane but lost 4-0 at home earlier in the season to Enrique’s troops.

The only plausible club that can defeat Barcelona looks to be Guardiola’s Bayern Munich, and what a match-up that would be for the Champions League final.

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Bayern outclassed and embarrassed Juventus for most of their round of 16 first leg clash on the same night as Arsenal’s capitulation, yet a weakened defence – without one fit, natural centre back – let in two second-half goals in a disappointing 2-2 draw.

However, come May, for the final at the San Siro, Bayern, if they make it, would hopefully have a close to fully fit squad. A one-off contest with Barcelona, rather than a two-legged battle, would be mouthwatering.

Last season, when the two teams met at the semi-final stage, Barcelona effectively sealed progression through to the final with a 3-0 victory at home. But, again, the victory came down to individual brilliance – this time through Messi.

Bayern were the better team in that first leg second half, yet three goals in the final 13 minutes sealed the Catalan victory.

A rematch in a one-off final would once again pit Guardiola’s Bayern, where he has instilled the same principles he first developed in Catalonia, against Enrique’s Barca, who have redefined their game to a more dynamic style, utilising Andreas Iniesta and Rakitic’s ability to play a both short and direct game.

It would present another fascinating tactical duel.

Bayern, like Barca, also possess players that can create something from nothing, yet in a different way.

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Thomas Müller is their main weapon – time and time again using space and ignoring technical deficiencies to score clutch goals. His ability to find the net is astounding.

Arjen Robben is another, still able to pull off his classic move of cutting inside and scoring from the edge of the box. Every defender knows what he is going to do, but they still cannot stop him. It is a sign of a truly special player.

Douglas Costa has fit in seamlessly, Robert Lewandowski is scoring for fun and Arturo Vidal and Thiago have conjured up a fantastic central pairing in midfield in front of Xabi Alonso.

The Bayern defence is also more rock solid than that of Barcelona, with Jerome Boateng, Javi Martinez and Holger Badstuber all imperious at the back, while David Alaba can play anywhere and Philipp Lahm provides 100 Champions League appearances.

They look like the only hope to stopping Barcelona’s back-to-back aspirations, and a Bayern Champions League victory would seal Guardiola’s legacy in Munich, given he was expected to replicate Jupp Heynckes’ treble-winning season in 2012-13.

Yet Enrique will also be keen to rubber stamp his own legacy.

The reigning champions are on a 33-game unbeaten run, the MSN trio have scored 93 goals already this season, and a treble is a huge possibility for Enrique.

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The last time a club managed back-to-back titles in Europe’s premier competition was AC Milan in 1989 and 1990 under the reign of the legendary Arrigo Saachi. Matching that feat would put this Barcelona team among the greatest of all-time, if they have not already been elevated to such a position.

Enrique would have claims to matching Guardiola’s era of domination, perhaps surpassing it.

For while Enrique admitted that Messi, Suarez and Neymar often do “what you would like them to do” automatically, it is his refined system which has allowed them to create havoc. He deserves a lot credit for that.

It is uncertain whether Guardiola’s possession-based style could have drawn the same devastating form from the MSN combination. In fact, it could be argued the partnership would have fallen flat under the former midfielder’s tutelage.

Pure conjecture, but worth contemplating.

Watching the two manager’s systems up against each other is what every fan will be hoping for come May 28. There are still two and a half rounds and a fortuitous draw standing between the possibility, but we can only dream that the football gods make it happen.

It is the matchup world football deserves before Guardiola departs for England and starts a new project. And it would be the truest test Enrique’s magicians could face this season.

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