Why early signs show Barcelona are not the same side as last season?
The Spanish La Liga can no longer be called a two horse race as already in the season after only 9 matches, we have had 3 different teams leading the table. The winds are changing, the shift of power from Catalunya to Madrid may be in transition but seems
like it’s inevitable.
Barcelona surely would have been mightily pleased about their result against Valencia when they knocked Los Che off the top of the perch with a fiercely contested 2-1 victory but just before the kick off, the news broke that the club had incurred a loss
of 79 million Euros during the year and its debts now stood at 430 million Euros.
For a team like Barcelona it’s bad enough to be making losses but to be flagged red when the team on the pitch is enjoying the most glorious of years in the club's history, makes a bleak and depressing read.
If Barca had lost to Valencia in the game at Camp Nou, it would have been nothing short of a calamity and the talks of crisis would have spread like wild fire.
To be honest, there would have been no embarrassment in losing to a side that has proved this season that their super impressive start to the season is no fluke.
The team from El Madrigal had conceded 13 goals in their last three visits to Camp Nou but on the night, they out played Barcelona in the first 45 minutes to lead the game 1-0 at half time. The best part of it was that Unai Emery’s side did not out play
their superior opponents by getting numbers behind the ball; instead they took the game to the so called masters of passing with their own brand of possession football.
It is becoming clearer by the day that Barcelona are not untouchable any more, not by any means.
It is without a doubt that they are still capable of flying loops around their opponents with their slick passing, just like they did against Panathanikos and Rubin Kazan in the Champions League. But, make no mistake about it that the aura of invincibility,
the fear factor isn't there anymore.
Teams who come to Camp Nou and try to fight fire with fire will almost certainly be ripped apart and teams who try to sit deep and defend with bodies on the line – bar a selected few – will drown like a concrete brick in quick sand. They may be solid and
resilient at first but as the tiredness sinks in and their legs get heavier, they become more and more susceptible.
Barcelona are still a sold side in the La Liga and they currently occupy the second spot behind their fierce rivals, Real Madrid but their performances this season are far from convincing and judging by just that it may not be too naïve to conclude that
Real may just pip them to the title.
Although, the season is still in its infancy but early signs are that Real are becoming a force to reckon with this season.
Under Jose Mourinho, Real have flourished. They are no longer the side that would lose silly points against the likes of Sporting Gijon, Deportive La Cruna or Racing Santander.
They are a tightly knit defence now and have only conceded 4 times in 9 games this season while scoring 20 in their last six games.
So, the signs are ominous as the title looks to be heading to the Spanish capital but of course, one cannot rule out a team like Barcelona who despite their unconvincing performances this season are more than capable of going all the way.
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