To put things in perspective Barca had only lost three matches all year long until last week.This slip in form and the severity of the defeats have led many to wonder whether this is the end of Barca's reign as invincible.
It may be too soon to pass that judgement, but I do believe that the current style of play- 10 men in attack with only the goalkeeper to defend has passed its prime. The previous incarnations of Barca were attacking teams as well, but those teams' success started and ended with defense and an affection for the ball that bordered on patronly.
If your opponent does not have the ball, they cannot score. If you give the ball away and immediately retrieve it, your opponent cannot score. Those principles have deserted Barca this season. Even though Barca continues to dominate possession, they too easily surrender the ball and do not have the same urgency in taking it away from their opponents.There are several possible explanations for this slip in form.
First, their coach Tito Villanova has been away from the team for over one month undergoing treatment at Memorial-Sloan Kettering in New York City for a recurrent salivary tumor. The emotional toll of the loss of their leader who is battling such a serious and life-threatening condition should not be underestimated. This Barca team more than any other club is like a family.
Second, the fill in coach, Villanova's assistant Jordi Roura, has been present in body only. He lacks the skill or experience to manage the best club in the world against some of the best opponents in the world. The line-ups have not been chosen wisely. Substitutions have been poorly chosen or not made at all. There have been no tactical adjustments mid-match. As a result, the team's play has suffered.
Finally, the team must be physically spent. They have played one match every three days for the past six months. I play one game per week, and often have discomfort for two to three days afterwords. I cannot imagine how taxing Barca's schedule must be - especially since Barca's competition is among the best in the world and since many of Barca's opponents commonly kick and abuse the Barca players. None of these reasons are excuses for Barca's poor form, but they are explanations.
This brings me to the key question at hand: is the Barca era - that has run for nearly four years - now over? It may be too soon to say, and it is almost comical that we are having this discussion since Barca sits 12 points above its nearest rival in the Spanish League and 16 points above its arch-rival Madrid. The League title seems like a forgone conclusion, but Barca has never been satisfied with one trophy per season. Anything less than winning all possible competitions - and winning with an attacking flourish - is viewed by players and fans alike as a disappointment.
I think we will know the answer to whether Barca's era of invincibility has come in the next two weeks. If they can defeat Real Madrid this weekend with a convincing victory, then the jury will still be out. Moreover, if they can come back in the second game of their two game series against AC Milan and win by the necessary 3-0 scoreline, hope will be restored.
These victories will only be possible if Barca returns to its supernatural style of play- greedy possession of the ball, precision passing, and lethal exploitation of their rivals' mistakes. It will take focus, coaching, and shifting lineups to achieve this goal. Without these three elements - particularly without coaching - "success" for this club will not be possible. The Barca team is made up of many of the best players at their positions in the world, but these players are human. Despite what the pundits would have us believe, these players do not coach themselves, and these players break down. If one needs proof, one need look no further than the past seven days.
I am hoping and praying for a turnaround. Visca Barca, and we await your speedy recovery and return Tito!
