Spanish Inquisition: Can Barca Prevent Another All-English CL Final?

Spain, Italy and England are the only three nations to have provided two teams in the final of the Champions League in the same year, but none have so far managed to do it twice, let alone in successive seasons. However, the Premier League could become the first association to pull off that feat.

The only problem is, standing in their way – for the second year in a row – will be a Barcelona side who have scored more goals and won more domestic matches than any other team in Europe’s top leagues. And they are playing, without question, the best football anywhere on planet Earth today and they are the bookies’ hot favourites to become the new kings of the continent.

As bubbly and vibrant as their champagne football might be, style alone can’t win them massive encounters like these in a competition like the Champions League, and certainly not the title itself, although they would beg to differ.

It’s true that Barca have swept past all comers with swashbuckling ease this season, blitzing French champions, Lyon, and the German champions, Bayern Munich, in the last two rounds of the competition. And they were overpowering against their own Spanish champions, Real Madrid, back home in La Liga in their El Clasico clash back in December.

However, they have not been tested against the tactically astute and physically superior English. Until now. If Barcelona wish to hoist the European Cup for the third time in their history, they will have to navigate past the rampant Premier League mob, like it or not.

Guus Blues; Pep’s Barca

The first obstacle for the Blaugrana is Chelsea. The biggest threat that the Londoners pose is that they have a team full of superstars, a world class footballer to occupy almost every position. Up until now, Barca have never had to deal with a rival who had more than one or two key players on the pitch at any one time.

The Pensioners do have a dazzling array of stars and, their fans would argue, that they have the manpower in their squad to match, or even outmatch, the Catalans. But let’s be honest, Barca simply have too much class.

For every Drogba, the Spaniards have Eto’o and Henry. For Bosingwa, there’s Dani Alves. For every Lampard, there’s Xavi and Iniesta. And for every Malouda, Anelka, Ballack and Deco, there’s Lionel Messi.

Chelsea’s only hope is Guus Hididnk. In the veteran Dutch maestro, they have one of the most well-respected and consistently successful tactical minds in world football today. And the inexperienced Pep Guardiola will certainly have his work cut out if he is to outsmart his counterpart.

But Hiddink has worries of his own, especially his leaky defence, having shipped in five goals in total against Liverpool over two legs in the quarter-finals and three more against unfancied Bolton in between. This will be music to Barcelona ears, considering the irresistible form they’ve been in. They took just 43 minutes to score four times against Lyon in the first leg of the last 16 and exactly 43 minutes again to score another quartet of goals against Bayern in the first leg of the quarter-finals.

Chelsea will have good reason to quake in their boots whey they step onto the Camp Nou turf for the first leg. And it won’t be because of the 90,000-plus bloodthirsty fans bellowing a cacophony of noise. But if they can get past the first 43 minutes in one piece, they might just have a chance.

Repeat Success Or Revenge Mission?

If Barca can get past Chelsea, they will be confident of lifting the trophy in the Eternal City on May 27, as the most problematic test would have already been negotiated. No disrespect to Manchester United or Arsenal, but the Blues are Barcelona’s trickiest hurdle, albeit not necessarily the toughest.

If Pep’s entertainers do make the final, it’ll be down to a question of what they prefer most: a rerun of the 2006 final against Arsenal, or, if they feel up to the challenge, go on a revenge mission by taking on a Manchester United side who heartbreakingly sent them packing in last season’s semi-final.

Barcelona vs Manchester United will indeed be a dream final for almost every football fan, neutral or otherwise. It will pit, without doubt, the two most dominant club sides in Europe this season.

United outfoxed the Blaugrana last term, relying almost on a catenaccio game plan to stun their Spanish counterparts coached then by Frank Rijkaard. Even though the Red Devils have increased their attacking firepower this season, there’s every chance they could employ that same strategy to conquer the Catalan colossus again.

Only difference is, Barca were a dysfunctional family last season. This time around, they are playing like a well-oiled, well-drilled attacking battleship where every pass is precise and every assault destructive. And Sir Alex Ferguson’s tactical wiliness may no longer be enough to trump them.

Then, of course, there’s the little matter of the personal confrontation between Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. The two best players in the world will finally be on the same stage – post-end-of-year individual awards season – big enough to end the debate of all debates and it will be a straight fight to see who the best footballer really is, with no two-legged contests to hide behind.

A Barcelona-Arsenal final will also have quite a symbolic precedent, especially in today’s football climate, as it will see the two 'youngest' sides in the competition lock horns. The Blaugrana may have a finely balanced team of experience and youth, but coach Pep Guardiola is very much a freshman.

Arsene Wenger, on the other hand, is one of the most experienced and successful club managers today, but his squad, with an average age of just 23.5 years, look more like a boys’ church choir group than a professional men’s football team.

Should they both make the final, it will prove that you do not need a big bank account, or the most seasoned coach, or a squad full of big-game players to win the most coveted trophy in club football. It will also be one for the purists as the Gunners are the only side left in the competition who can match the Blaugrana in terms of collective entertainment.

And if a United showdown will produce a collision between The Messiah and CR7, an Arsenal showcase will allow Cesc Fabregas and Xavi to square off in what will be another mouth-watering dispute to indulge fans and determine just exactly who is Spain’s most gifted deep-lying playmaker.

One way or another, you just get the feeling that this year’s Champions League final will be a humdinger, provided Barcelona go through. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First stop, the Camp Nou.

Courtesy: KS Leong, Goal.com

Champions League Comment: And Then There Were Eight

Ewan Macdonald reflects on another thrilling night of Champions League action before looking ahead to the quarter-finals.
Mar 11, 2009 5:45:48 PM

Qualified teams (Champions League quarter-final):
Manchester United
Chelsea
Liverpool
Barcelona
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Villarreal
Porto

Draw date:
Friday, March 20th, 2009 (12:00 CET/11:00 GMT)

Analysis:
The best eight clubs in Europe? The recriminations will begin from fans of sides such as Inter, Real Madrid, and - well, of course - Roma, but whichever way you look at it, our Champions League quarter-finalists are the ones left in competition for Europe's top crown. And four of them are from the Premier League!

Yes, English dominance, as indicated last year with fully three of the four semi-finalists hailing from the EPL, is back with a vengeance, with Arsenal joining the current top three of Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the next round. The latter trio top not only the Premiership but also UEFA's co-efficient list, with Arsenal sneaking in at fifth. Of Italian sides, there is no sign.

Yesterday we reflected on the four victors from last night. Today we'll do the same for Wednesday's.

Inevitably, we start with Manchester United, the defending champions. A 2-0 win over Inter at home gives Sir Alex Ferguson the kind of vindication he needs against Jose Mourinho, his old foe (or should that be protege), who bows out of the competition for the season. The Red Devils deserved their advancement; even though Inter hit the woodwork, there was cutting edge about the Old Trafford side that is impossible to deny. Above all, the verve and life of Ryan Giggs was a joy to watch.

Arsenal also head through, but first of all let's spare a thought for Roma. The walking wounded could barely put together a lineup and bench worthy of the name, the players dropping out of the line-up thick and fast prior to, and even during the encounter at the Olimpico. Yet the Giallorossi had the best of their 1-0 win over Arsenal - even though it was not enough. After a tortuous round of penalties, the Gunners held their nerve to progress as a heartbroken Max Tonetto missed from the spot.

Over in Porto, the match that provided so many goals in the first leg ended without a single ruffle of the net as Atletico Madrid bow out on away goals. Over the two legs this is a just result; the Dragons were the more accomplished side, and while Atleti's classic, free-flowing wing play - as well as the wizardry of Sergio Aguero - will be a loss to the tournament, the powerful Portuguese will look to overcome their low ranking in the next round, although they have battles domestically - both on and off the field - to worry about as well.

Finally to Barcelona, where the embattled Blaugrana finally gave their fans the kind of spectacle that they had grown to expect during the earlier part of the season. No fewer than five goals were on the agenda for the hosts, while Lyon, although for the most part poor, replied with two - a reminder to Pep Guardiola that his injury-hit backline needs severe work before the next stage.

Well, what now? The quarter-finals, that's what.

Unlike in previous rounds, there is no barrier on who can be drawn against whom. English could not meet English in the Round of 16 - in the quarter-finals, however, anything goes.

Thus from a pot looking like this (in order of UEFA co-efficient):

Manchester United
Chelsea
Liverpool
Barcelona
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Villarreal
Porto

We could see clashes as intriguing as Arsenal-Bayern Munich, Liverpool-Villarreal... or Manchester United-Chelsea.

Yes, the battle of the Premier League is on the cards again, it seems, with just two Spanish, and lone German and Portuguese outfits remaining. Statistically it will not be a huge shock if two of these English sides are drawn together; in footballing terms, it will be a case of familiarity breeding, well, excitement, we hope.

The permutations are near-enough endless. Ties are to be played on April 7th and April 8th 2009; the draw comes next Friday, March 20th. We'll be covering it live, and we hope you'll be there, too.


Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com