Lionel Messi, Pep Guardiola and Barcelona restart their quest for another Champions League title. (Photo: Newscom)
Those decrying the premature fall of Barcelona were rebuked this weekend when the defending European champions bounced back against Racing Santander, posting a 4-0 victory that saw goals from the newly-fit Thierry Henry and 18 year old Thiago.
But that was Spain and a struggling club at that. Today is Champions League.
Not to pick on Stuttgart, who have rebounded nicely from early season struggles (thanks to Christian Gross), but this isn’t your normal, marquee Champions League match-up.
For their refurbished form, Stuttgart is still a mid-table Bundesliga side. They came out of the weakest Champions League group and were the least impressive of the sixteen clubs who have survived to the knock-out round. Had they been in any of the other seven Champions League groups, Stuttgart would not have been able to advance.
That may sound harsh but it’s not remarkable. Most seasons, one club will fit that description. Unfortunately, this year, the club that fits that description is going up against the defending champions, the best team in the world, Barcelona.
Some would argue against Barcelona being the at-the-moment best side in the world, but it’s a difficult argument to make. Leaving aside the fact that none of the pretenders to the thrown have looked more impressive, there is the notion that somebody needs to dethrone the champions. This is not to say Barcelona needs to be eliminated from this competition before we consider another club better; rather, we need to see a club performing demonstrably better than Barça before we crown them, for not other reason than the Blaugrana is the team most recently demonstrated to be capably of winning this competition.
The only evidence we have to hint at Barça’s relative demise: Their stumble against Atlético Madrid nine days ago, when Barcelona went to the Vincente Calderon and lost 2-1. The limitations of that Barça side have been well documented. We can reasonable assume that Pep Guardiola does not intend on playing Jeffren at left back all season. There is only so much was can garner from that one, injury and suspension aided slip.
That is not to say their injury concerns are behind that. With Xavi Hernández likely to miss this match, Barcelona will have difficulty beating a bunkered-in side, should Stuttgart chose to bunker. Ostensibly, that is what the Zlatan Ibrahimovic acquisition was supposed to accomplish: Giving Barça a route to net where otherwise there was none. This may prove the first true test of that hypothesis.
In all likelihood, it won’t, as this is only the first of two legs, and Barcelona need not change their approach, even if it looks like they’ll leave Germany without the goals they should expect. Without Hernández, Dani Alves, Seydou Keita and possibly Eric Ábidal, Stuttgart has their chance for a result.
But draw out Barcelona’s line-up and see names like Ibrahimovic, Iniesta, Henry, Touré, Puyol, and Piqué.
I also hear that Barcelona have a guy named Messi. I’ll have to look into that.
Regardless, Barcelona will be fine. Whether we can say the same for Stuttgart is doubtful.
Recent Comments