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Manchester City v Barcelona, Etihad Stadium, Tuesday 19.45
The north west of England is a place of beginnings and endings for FC Barcelona and some of their players. Pep Guardiola’s last, inglorious, European game as a player for the team he’d supported all his life and let to European Cup glory at Wembley in 1992 came at Anfield.
There’s this utterly superb picture of a young, exuberant Steven Gerrard (above) chasing over to Guardiola to roar triumphantly as the Catalan trooped, dejectedly off the pitch back in 2001. Out of the Uefa Cup, out of the club six weeks later.
Guardiola’s time as coach was ushered in by another ‘ending’ this time at Old Trafford when Paul Scholes (fan footage below) crashed that semi-final winning goal past Victor Valdés in United’s Champions League winning season of 2007/8.
That truly was that for Frank Rijkaard, Ronaldinho and Deco their reign as European Champions already having been rudely stripped away from them by Liverpool in 2007, just a few short months after victory over Arsenal in Paris hinted that Barcelona, with Ronaldinho the best player in the world, might be starting a golden era. Not the case.
And Andres Iniesta freely admits his brilliant volleyed goal for Spain against England at Old Trafford in 2007 was an exponential leap forward in confidence and robust self belief because, until then, La Roja viewed the hard-running, aggressive English as one of their most threatening and intimidating rivals.
If Tuesday night’s game against Manchester City is a defeat, and one which is the gateway to elimination in three weeks, then it will be a categorical ‘end’ to the current golden era.
Not the end for Leo Messi, Pedro, Cesc, Busquets, Iniesta and Alba as Barcelona players but a punctuation point at the end of an era which has seen the bulk of this group reach 13 knockout finals (Champions League, Copa del Rey, European SuperCup or World Club Cup) in the last ten years (more than Manchester United and Real Madrid combined).
If this group were to follow their 7-0 humiliation by Bayern Munich last season with their first elimination at this stage since 2007 it will be time for the kind of ‘re-start’ which began in summer 2008 with Guardiola’s arrival, the sale of Ronaldinho and the promotion of a clutch of young bucks.
What do the Spanish champions require to do to avoid all that happening?
One of the biggest compliments to that era of Camp Nou dominance is that a great deal of what City (and Bayern) do is simply a re-branding of Barcelona’s 2008-2012 football but with younger, bigger and more athletic players than the Catalans currently have in their squad.
Barça reboot? Barça Mark II. Call it what you will.
The lads were unreal and the fans were class! Over the moon right now! Tottenham 1 – 5 @MCFC ! #MCFC pic.twitter.com/UOsNEphbCZ
— Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) January 29, 2014
It obviously means that Tata Martino’s team will be vulnerable from corners, free kicks and open play if Vincent Kompany (above), Yaya Touré, Álvaro Negredo, Fernandinho and their ilk are allowed to compete for headers on goal.
The Johan Cruyff diktat, which was copied by Guardiola when he became coach, was:
‘Do NOT give away corners or free kicks anywhere near our own penalty area’
Can this team become that disciplined again? Switch back on the good habits which have been switched off for a couple of seasons?
The fundamental cornerstone of the ‘great’ Barcelona eras was always to create numerical superiority in midfield. Via the full backs pushing forward, via the centre half wandering as far forward with the ball as he dared, using the ‘third-man’ move, via the wingers dropping back into midfield if necessary.
Now, because of a drop in the efficacy of Barcelona’s pressing high up the pitch, because Father Time and his debilitating effects wait for no man.
Often the shakiness which has become apparent in Barça’s defending (the goals against stats are clear in Europe but almost unchanged domestically from Guardiola’s time) has its root in the midfield either being over-run or not adequately chasing back when possession is lost.
Martino is going to try to ‘flood’ the midfield in Manchester. Often Barcelona’s shape will look like 3-5-2 – two central defenders and one full back with one full back pushed into a middle line already staffed by Busquets, Xavi (above for Spain), Iniesta and Cesc.
“Whover has the least possession is going to suffer,” was Martino’s ominous prediction.
City’s left hand side, probably Samir Nasri (above), will have fun. Xavi finds it hard to press and harrass as effectively as he once did and Dani Alves loves to go for a wander upfield. The return journey is often conducted via a guilty trot while others attempt to put out the fires.
City, it seems to me, deserve to be favourites (15/8) to win this leg of the tie particularly given that since losing 1-0 to Wisla Kraków (UCL third qualifying round second leg) back in 2008 Barça have played 15 further away knockout ties in the competition proper – only winning three.
The other results comprise seven draws and six defeats. But there are distinct plus-points for Barcelona.
Martino pledged, from day one, that his training and squad rotation would be aimed at having his players fighting fit for the business end of the season. That starts now.
Fabregas has never been more prolific for goals and assists, Leo Messi (above) has 10 goals and seven assists in eleven games this year and, above all, Andres Iniesta is playing with livewire fizz and energy right now.
If Barcelona take your eye then perhaps Iniesta or Jordi Alba are succulent outside bets for a goal. Another would be to look at Javier Mascherano’s tendency to be caught the wrong side, to have to lunge in… a penalty for City isn’t a remote probability (10/3 with Paddy Power).
Overall, Europe is lucky that so many club and national sides now want to emulate the brand of football which the Blaugrana exhibited so exceptionally over the last six years.
Shame if it were to end now. But at least they face the Premier League’s attempt at Barça Mk II. Sit back and soak it up.
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Although it is an obvious choice in-form Tottenham starlet Gareth Bale should be in everyone’s fantasy team at the moment after his two demolition jobs on Champions League holders Internazionale FC (check out Premier League 2010/11 markets and match prices).
The 21-year-old has always looked a class act but propelled himself to the forefront of world football by making a very good Inter defence look like statues over the two legs.
Bale should feature in a Spurs side looking for their first Premier League victory since beating Fulham on October 16 and, with the youngster on fire, they look a good bet to take the points from a Bolton side who have only won once at home this season (Spurs 13/10 – 90 minutes betting v Bolton).
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti believes Nicolas Anelka is in the form of his career and who are we to argue, as the Frenchman bagged his fifth Champions League goal in four matches on Wednesday night.
Labelled ‘le sulk’ at various clubs, the former Arsenal star appears settled at Stamford Bridge and is combining well with Didier Drogba up front for the Blues.
The 31-year-old spent time on-loan at Liverpool and will be looking to add to his three Premier League goals this term when he faces his old side at Anfield.
Ancelotti says Anelka is happy at the club and that can only mean good things as he is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the top-flight when his mood is right (Anelka 25/1 – Premier League goal-scorer).
Cesc Fabregas had the night off as Arsenal lost 2-1 to Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday but he should be fine for the visit of Newcastle on Sunday.
The Gunners skipper has only bagged on Premier League goal this season but scored 15 last term and it is high time the talented midfielder got back on the scoresheet.
Newcastle are in the habit of winning one then losing one and so, following last weeks 5-1 hammering of Sunderland, they will need to be wary of what the Londoners are capable of at home.
Fabregas was rested for the European tie as a precaution with a sore hamstring so expect him to be raring to go at the Emirates this weekend (Arsenal 2/7 – 90 minutes betting v Newcastle).
Darren Bent has a phenomenal scoring record for Sunderland, with 33 in 51 appearances for the Black Cats in all competitions, and six from 10 Premier League outings this term.
Boss Steve Bruce will demand an immediate response from his men following the 5-1 drubbing at Newcastle and Bent will be the man they look to to score the goals against a Stoke side who have lost their last three top-flight games.
This game may not whet the appetite as much others over the weekend but Bent’s goal-scoring prowess could be the difference in a low-scoring encounter at the Stadium of Light (Sunderland Evens – 90 minutes betting v Stoke).
Finally, Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster will probably not be the busiest man on Saturday as bottom-of-the-table West Ham travel to St Andrew’s (Birmingham 10/11 – 90 minutes betting v West Ham).
With no away wins and just two goals on their travels, the Hammers appear little threat away from Upton Park and Birmingham have only conceded three Premier League goals at home this season.
Foster has kept four clean sheets in the Premier League so far this campaign and surely will never get a better chance of making it five than against a side shorn of confidence and tipped for relegation.
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German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer admitted the best team won on the night as his team were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the World Cup semi-final (Germany 7/10 to beat Uruguay in third place play-off).
Neuer was powerless to stop Carles Puyol’s 73rd minute bullet header on a night the Germans were clearly below par.
“It’s a big disappointment for us. We could have won but we didn’t, but this is football,” Neuer told the press after the game.
“Now we are in the third place play-off, but we would have preferred to be in the final.”
Neuer said his side just didn’t do enough to win the game.
“We had little courage and little chances, we attacked more in other games, but we have to look forward now,” he added.
“Spain left us little spaces, and had lots of chances, they deservedly beat us. I wish them the best for the final.”
Germany captain Philipp Lahm, who was captaining the side in Michael Ballack’s absence, admitted after the full-time whistle Spain deserved to progress.
“It was very difficult tonight,” said the Bayern Munich defender.
“We knew Spain were a favourite to win the tournament. Spain is a very strong team.
“We didn’t play courageously enough in the first half. We had a chance in the second but weren’t able to use it.
“It’s a huge disappointment. We wanted to do a lot and didn’t succeed.”
Meanwhile, the German press went into mourning after the game as their side lost out on the chance to win their first title since 1990.
“It’s finished. It’s over. We’re out,” cried Germany’s most-read paper, Bild.
“The whole of Germany is now upset and tears are flowing up and down the country,” the paper said, adding, with unusual fairness: “No matter how tough it may be to accept, the defeat was deserved.”
“Our guys tried everything. But unfortunately, we just didn’t get the right chances. These Spanish, we have to admit, were simply too good for us.”
“1-0. Germany weeps” wrote the Hamburger Abendblatt.
“The fairy-tale is over” said weekly Die Zeit on its website.
Frankfurter Allgemeine said that Germany’s “dream journey” had ended and Spiegel magazine said on its website “Spain destroys Germany’s dreams of reaching a final.”
Spiegel online judged that the team were “anxious, nervous and played as if hindered.”
The Sueddeutsche Zeitung was also critical of Joachim Loew’s players.
“The German team showed too much respect for the Spanish and weren’t able to push their opponents back enough.”
Berlin’s “BZ” chose to look more optimistically towards the future, with hopes high for Germany’s young team that probably exceeded expectations in this World Cup.
“Shame, boys. But you’ll be back,” it said on its website.
“It was still a great World Cup.”
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