Barça May Not Be Back, But They’re Pretty Darn Good
By Jim James
Hello all, and welcome back to the blog. Yesterday, FC Barcelona BEAT Atlético Madrid 4-2 to win their first game vs a World Class team since the 2-0 win vs Juventus in October 2020, and our first win vs Atlético since January 2020, 25 months ago and before lockdown. A key part in the win was our signings, with Dani Alves scoring one and assisting one (then getting sent off for a dirty challenge but we don’t talk about that), Adama assisting a goal and being essential in our attacks, with Ferran and Aubameyang putting in good shifts. Combine that with some of our players coming back from injury, Xavi bringing the classic Barça mentality back, and you’ve got a team that could make a comeback story this season. Let me begin.
Xavi’s style of play against Atleti was something Bob and I were shocked by. “A suprise to be sure, but a welcome one”. They were pressing high, they were running, they weren’t just playing possesion but they were doing something. At least for the first half, then they got to the second half, made it 4-1 early, conceded one and just focused to keep the lead with possesion, understandably. But this team looks rejuvenated tactically. If they keep playing like this, they will re-win my heart.
The new Barcelona has also taken on a whole new mentality signing-wise, as they have been since the summer. Instead of splashing cash they don’t have on attackers who don’t fit into the system (aHEM Dembele, Coutinho, and Griezmann), they are doing good scouting, and only spending the necessary money on players who fit into the blaugrana system and fit in with Xavi’s mentality, save for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. We just needed a Striker. It also helps that the Barcelona name helps in the signings. These players have took big pay cuts to play for Barca and fit in their designated Salary Cap. I am very grateful to these players for taking that step.
This team also features many scrappy youngsters, thus far unsuccessful players, and wise veterans from the Barca Golden Age in their last dance. All of this combined leads to a team that wants to win something. Even though we’ve been knocked out of the Champions League, Copa del Rey, Supercopa, and realistically don’t have a chance at La Liga, we still have the Top 4 goal and the Europa League. Barca won the Champions League in 2015, and I became a fan in 2016. Figures. So I’m still yet to see Barca win a European Competition. I believe that we are favorites for the Europa League, and if we beat Napoli we will win it, and that would get us in Pot 1 of the Champions League draw, likely get us Haaland, and prove that the project works. I firmly believe that this team has the motivation to win it. If we see the Barca that we see against Atlético, that is.
This FC Barcelona makes new possibilities for us. Many of these possibilities have us winning the race for Erling Haaland. I love it. This is Jim James, until next time.