LA REMONTADA

The title translates to the recovery or the comeback. This is the term the Barca press, team, and fans have given to their next match - the return leg of the quarterfinals of Europe's top club soccer competition, the Champions' League.  And a recovery is what Barca needs if they are to stay alive in this competition.

We will not dwell on how Barca got into this mess (see the last few posts for that). Rather, we will hope that the last two weeks of stinging defeats will somehow awaken the slumbering giant that is Barca.

The team must give their all (and then some) tomorrow if they are to get past a determined and capable AC Milan side.  We, the fans, can believe, and we can hope, but it is time for these players to weave another tapestry, orchestrate another symphony, paint another masterpiece. Feel free to add your own metaphor.

I have no doubt that Barca will rise to this occasion. Win or lose, the team must come out fighting. Barca must remember what they are capable of and who they are. To quote a famous Catalan slogan: Som i serem (We are, and we will be)!

The defender Gerard Piqué also had a message for the fans planning to attend the game tomorrow in Barca's home stadium - the Camp Nou- "We need 90,000 people who believe that we can get through this. Anyone who thinks that we can’t do it, please give your ticket to your children or friends.”

Barca's former coach Pep Guardiola said it best at his first press conference when he was announced as coach. I am paraphrasing here, but he said, "We do not promise to win football titles. We do promise to play football that will make you proud of us."

Well said maestros. La remontada es posible (the comeback is possible)! Ara, ens enorgulleix (now, make us proud)!