SAINT MESSI

Last night, on the Day of Saint Jordi, a new saint was canonized- Saint Lionel Messi. He and his team FC Barcelona turned back the clock and produced an epic performance that will go down as one of the greatest individual and team performances in football history.

The setting and the circumstances could not have been more auspicious - the Santiago Bernabeu stadium of Barca's eternal rival Real Madrid with the league title on the line. That this Barcelona team whom many had left for dead not only won the game 3-2 but won it with flair and artistry was truly incredible.

There are very few that would have predicted such a result, especially after Barca were eliminated from the Champions League quarterfinals with not so much as a whimper. However, a fixture against Real Madrid has a way of inspiring Barca, and these players did not disappoint. The words that come to mind are: grit, perseverance, professionalism, and passion.

No one exemplified these traits better on the night than Lionel Messi. All night, the men in white tried their best to stop him through organized defense and through countless blows. The Brazilian midfielder Casemiro kicked out at Messi after having been bamboozled. He followed this up with two other body blows that should have led to his ejection. Yet, the ref turned the other way.

Another Brazilian, Marcelo, appeared to follow through with an elbow to Messi mouth and nose that dropped the Argentinian to the ground in a pool of blood. After treatment on the sidelines, Messi returned to the game holding gauze against his mouth with one hand while still dribbling all over the pitch and spraying balls left and right. A few minutes later, Messi darted into the box and scored a nearly impossible goal to level the score 1-1. He was instrumental in setting up the next goal that gave Barca a 2-1 lead.

Later in the second half, Sergio Ramos from Madrid was rightfully sent off for a two-footed lunge on Messi designed to achieve one simple goal - neutralize the man who had been his tormentor all night, no matter the cost. Fortunately, Messi saw the tackle coming and was able to leap, thus minimizing the brutality of the impact. Nonetheless, Ramos connected with Messi's treasured left foot and was rightly dismissed. This only served to fire up Messi, who remained undaunted even after Real Madrid equalized the score in the 86th minute.

With time running out-one minute left to be precise-Barca inbounded the ball from deep in their end. Sergio Roberto, the makeshift right back, threw the ball into Pique. He, in turn, scooped a pass to Busquets. After taking one touch, Busquets angled a pass onto a darting Sergi Roberto, who then proceeded to run 60 yards past two Real Madrid pursuers. He found the often maligned, rightfully so in my opinion, Andres Gomes, who slid a pass onto an onrushing Jordi Alba with precision timing. Alba slingshotted the ball to the center of the box, where it was met with Messi's mighty left foot. Within one second, the back of the net rattled, and Barca were winners in style with the last kick of the game.

The Barca players surrounded Messi while the Real Madrid players groaned, punched their fists in the ground, or merely stood stunned by what they had just witnessed. Worldwide, football fans of all allegiances stood in awe, too, because of the magical quality of the show that Barca had just put on. For what seemed like an eternity, Messi stood jerseyless and faced the hostile Bernabeu crowd. He held his jersey with the name and number facing them in case they were unaware of who he was and so they could remember what he had done to them. It was an epic moment in the history of an epic derby.

The result meant that Barca catapulted to the top of the league table, though Real Madrid have played one game less. Because of this, it is still true that if Madrid win their remaining six games, they will be champions. However, if Barca also win out and Real Madrid were to lose just once, the title would remain in Catalonia for one more season. I am not a betting man, and Real may end up being crowned champions, but it will be a diminished title after failing to beat Barca in both of their head to head matches this year.

The former Barca manager Josep Guardiola famously declared in his first press conference that he did not promise trophies. Rather, he promised the team would play football that would make the fans proud. That promise was kept sat night by these players-many of whom helped Guardiola win 14 of 19 trophies available to them in a three year period. No matter what happens next, and even if we go trophyless this season, we will always have the memory of what Messi and company did to the Bernabeu on April 23, 2017. May our memories not fade anytime soon, and may we cherish the tapestry that these players wove last night. What a game! What a team! Saint Messi!

Visca Barca!

THE END

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend the end

- Jim Morrison

After a complete drubbing at the hands of Juventus in the UEFA Champions League last night, I can think of no more fitting tribute to this Barcelona team than these words.

It is hard for me to describe in words what a thrill ride the past seven years have been with this club and these men. They say that love at first sight is a cliche, a superficial notion. "They" do not get it.

For me and soccer, there will always be pre-2010 and post-2010. In that year, I first witnessed the magical play of the core of the FC Barcelona team during the World Cup in South Africa. The way these players pinged the ball all over the field and the way they lulled their opponents to sleep with sustained periods of possession reminded me of a bullfight. That Spain, the national team these men helped to shape, won its first World Cup that year was beyond just, and that team's performance over 3 weeks that summer made me a fan for life.

Shortly thereafter, I began to follow FC Barcelona. Watching them week in and week out that first season, I was repeatedly blown away by the players mastery of the game, and the way they imposed their will on any opponent. At the helm was Pep Guardiola, a former Barca ball boy, former Barca player, and now Barca coach. For him, it was not just about winning; it was about winning in style, and style they had in abundance.

In the past seven years, I have seen this team win countless trophies, come back against all odds, and perform miracle feats on an every three day basis. However, like me, these players have aged. With aging has come wisdom and experience but also a diminution of focus, speed, and wizardry. On Tuesday night in Turin, we ostensibly witnessed the culmination of that decline as Barca were outclassed in nearly every aspect of the game. That the final scoreline was only 3-0 was a miracle, and all cules were glad to see that more damage had not been done.

How did we get to this place after seven triumphant years? There is no one answer. Rather, a multiplicity of factors have led to the slow deterioration of this club-the one thing in life I love nearly as much as my family.

Poor recruitment of players surely has played the biggest role. Indeed, it was fascinating to see the lineup that was chosen yesterday, which including 5-6 players no longer worthy of being Barca starters. That the bench was without depth due to dubious player purchases only compounds the problem.

Coaching has also been a significant issue with no real philosophy. The model of pass and move, possession, and midfield dominance are all in the past, and Barca 2017 are truly unrecognizable from the 2010 version I fell in love with.

Since this team's decline is complex, there is no magic bullet or solution. However, fans, players, coaches, and management must take a hard look at where we are now, how we are playing now, and how far we have fallen if we are to reverse this trend. A new coach is certain as the current coach already announced his departure from the club several months ago. New players will be necessary-in defense, in offense, and in midfield. Heroes muse be given send-offs or front office positions, and a new generation must be given its chance. While the faces may change, I hope that the structure and the philosophy of winning the right way and being mes que un club (more than a club) will re-emerge.

This does feel like the end of an era. But let's not lament what we have lost. Rather, let us remind ourselves of what these players have given us-love, excellence, inspiration, and above all belief that greatness is a collective effort. I feel like I am at a wake, but the life of the one who has passed has been full and has brought me and countless others joy. For that, I am grateful tonight even as I say goodbye to an old friend.