Can Barcelona Repeat Their Unprecedented Feat This Season?

Beginners luck don’t get any better than Josep Guardiola’s phenomenal first season where Barcelona swept all trophies in sight – La Liga, the Copa del Rey, Champions League, Spanish Supercup, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. The commitment to work ethics and attacking football mesmerized football fans globally and drew comparisons to Johan Cryuff’s sensational 1970s team.

However, Pep Guardiola is now facing his sternest test since taking over the reins at Barcelona. It is still the same breathtaking style of Total Football but the invincibility is waning. Replicating last year’s success is already impossible as Barcelona were eliminated from the Copa del Rey by Sevilla. The chase for La Liga and Champions League titles is still on, if hanging by a thread.

In La Liga, Pep Guardiola failed to create an insurmountable lead like last season. The current one-point gap will motivate Real Madrid to push Barcelona right to the wire, as the La Liga is the former’s only chance for glory after spending a massive fortune assembling Galacticos during the summer.

Given the long standing rivalry between the two Spanish clubs, Barcelona cannot afford to take their foot off the pedal, if they want to create history. However, the Blaugranas are showing signs of strain from fighting for honors on multiple fronts.

On Saturday, Xerez, in 20th position with only six victories and 30 goals in 33 matches was pitted against Barcelona with no hopes of an upset. True to form, the Catalans dismissed their opponent in a 3-1 victory. Pep Guardiola is not in a celebratory mood though as Real Madrid squeezed past Zaragoza 2-1, courtesy of Raul and Kaka, to maintain the pressure.

But rather than worry about his rival, Pep Guardiola will do well to evaluate his team’s weakness. Barcelona were leading 2-0 but complacency set in. With nothing to lose, Xerez went all out and sneaked in a goal as well as causing panic in Barcelona’s backline, despite its limited firepower. Such defensive lapses will haunt Guardiola as the consequences are dire against tougher opponents.

Tensions in the domestic league aside, Barcelona’s European party is also in danger of being spoiled by a crafty Jose Mourinho. The Blaugranas did not impress in the group stages of the Champions League but they stamped their class after steamrolling Stuttgart and Arsenal 5-1 and 6-3 respectively.

The scoreline may gloss over the fact that Barcelona were lackluster in a 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium and only prevailed at Nou Camp with a certain Lionel Messi in majestic form. Against Inter Milan, Pep Guardiola will need more Nou Camp magic as the odds are stacked higher after a 3-1 defeat at the San Siro in the Champions League semi final first leg.

Inter, seeking to relive the glory of being Europe’s champions since consecutive titles in 1964 and 1965, effectively clamped down on FIFA Player of the Year Lionel Messi and made the defending champions swallow their pride – it was the first time they conceded three goals this season.

Although Barcelona scored first from Pedro Rodriguez’s low shot in the 19th minute, they failed to capitalize on the advantage and overwhelming possession. As the game wore on, Barcelona appeared jaded, probably due to the 10 hour bus trip.

On the other hand, the goal spured Internazionale into combat mode where they launched swift counter attacks and tightened the backline. Inter Milan equalized through Wesley Sneijder in the 30th minute and collected a precious two goal lead through Maicon in the 48th minute and Diego Milito in the 61st minute.

Perhaps nobody does it better than Barcelona when it comes to exquisite passing but it cannot compensate for the loss of concentration and inability to track back quickly. That Inter Milan have a disciplined defense is no secret but the Catalans underestimated the lighting pace at which Jose Mourinho’s team launch their counter attacks.

A downcast Pep Guardiola was frank about his defence’s frailties, saying: “We could have been more concentrated. It can happen, especially when you are playing in the semi-final of the Champions League, especially versus Inter. They have very fast forwards.”

To be sure, Jose Mourinho has transformed Inter Milan from an underachiever to a club with character and self belief. Previous Inter sides lacked a killer instinct and would have resigned to fate after a dominant Barcelona went ahead.

However, Mourinho’s team fought back bravely to subdue the “best team in the world.” The new found resilience is also evident in a defense marshalled superbly by Lucio and skipper Javier Zanetti which neutralized Lionel Messi, Maxwell and Dani Alves.

As Inter failed to breach Barcelona’s defense in three previous encounters, this victory was all the more significant in dispelling old demons. It is also worth mentioning that Mourinho’s strategy proved to be superior and was executed to a tee on that night.

In the face of Barcelona’s fearsome attack, Jose Mourinho opted instead for an aggressive line-up by fielding three forwards (Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito and Goran Pandev) plus playmaker Sneijder. The irrepressible Sneijder orchestrates attack while the tireless Milito’s pace and positioning ensures he is frequently in the thick of action.

It was a masterstroke which unsettled the defending champions. Incidentally, this was the same formation which dismantled the Stamford Bridge fortress last month.

In fairness, there were a few fouls on Barcelona which are borderline penalty cases – Esteban Cambiasso’s stab at Messi’s boot in the penalty box and a Wesley Sneijder challenge on Dani Alves. Barcelona were also a victim of an offside decision (or lack of) on Diego Milito’s goal.

However, blaming the referee, Olegário Benquerenca of Portugal, of  helping his compatriot, Jose Mourinho, is an unsportsmanlike behavior. After all, Ogegario once awarded three penalties against Mourinho’s Porto in a single league match.

Casting doubts on a referee’s professionalism just because you lose a match is uncalled for. Barcelona also have little moral grounds to complain since they were the beneficiary of a referee decision which helped to elminate Chelsea last season.

Is Pep Guardiola A Fluke?

Pep Guardiola has to pass the crucial tests against Real Madrid and Inter Milan for his managerial credentials to be taken seriously. With a quality team like Barcelona, football critics feel that Guardiola had his work cut out for him.

How hard is it to win titles when you have Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Henry, Alves, Ibrahimovic, and at one time, Eto’o, in your team? The situation is similar for Manuel Pellegrini who may yet steer Real Madrid to the La Liga title, but it is not enough to satisfy the fans with the amount of talents at his disposal.

As for Jose Mourinho, it is difficult to begrude him the label of Special One. He earned his spurs by winning the domestic league, Cup and Champions League for Porto with an impressive record. Next he arrived at Chelsea to clinch the Premier League after a 50 year absence for the Blues.

In the process, Alex Ferguson was toppled from his lofty perch as Mourinho set a new standard for the Premier League in terms of points won and goals conceded. Now at Inter, he won the Serie A in his first season and is looking to add the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho enjoyed success in 3 different leagues, compared to Pep Guardiola’s sextuple wonder in a single league. Last season Champions League debacle at Stamford Bridge was also a blot on Guardiola’s unprecedented success. Without the referee’s mistake, the outcome for a struggling Barcelona who almost lost the plot could be different.

Guardiola was also lucky that his squad wasn’t plagued with too many injuries in his first season. Staying in contention for the titles while key players are injured for prolonged periods is a necessary quality of a successful coach.

Questions about Guardiola’s abilities and sustainability of his success will continue until he laid them to rest on the pitch. Will Guardiola crack under the pressure and set off a domino effect of losses, which result in a barren spell? I hope not and it is too much to call him a fluke.

Pep Guardiola is an intelligent player/coach and a leader of men. More importantly, he is a true blue Barcelona fan. The Catalans’ repressed culture and heritage is in his blood and he defends it passionately. There is no doubt he wants his squad to be equally committed.

At the age of 13, Guardiola was inducted into the youth academy and promoted by Johan Cruyff after 6 years. Guardiola quickly assumed the role of midfield general in the senior team and in 12 seasons, he captured six La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and one Champions League trophy.

The sterling achievements held him in good stead among Barcelona fans and players alike. Cesc Fabregas and Xavi had openly declared their desire to emulate Guardiola’s influence in midfield. However, reputation can only carry you so far if you can’t control the troops.

Pep Guardiola has an invaluable skill in rallying his charges, to convince them of his football philosophy and maintain the burning desire to pursue more trophies. So far, the players enjoy playing for him and prima donnas are kept in line.

Perhaps Guardiola’s coaching genius will be enhanced if he managed a less talented team but it is not easy to galvanise Barcelona. Just recall the destabilising effect of dissension in the dressing room, primarily from Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o, when Frank Rijkaard was the coach. In that disastrous season of 2007-2008, Barcelona finished third, 18 points behind Real Madrid and embarrassingly 10 points behind Villarreal.

When Pep Guardiola took over, he was quick in imposing his authority and eliminating players who were ill-disciplined and had grown too big for their boots. There is something to be said about the coach when he deals with virtually the same set of players but with vastly different results – six titles in one and a half years.

Guardiola’s ability to gel the players was honed during his time as skipper for Barcelona. He is a strong personality who articulates his opinion when the occasions call for it. Interaction and communication with players is a delicate skill and he mastered when to control and when to set the players free.

Imparted the art of Total Football by his mentor, Johan Cruyff, Guardiola’s football philosophy is simple - keep possession by moving the ball around and move as one in attack and defense. The strikers have to do their part in defense and vice versa. That requires a high fitness for every player.

Guardiola’s coaching is also famously meticulous with careful preparations, match analysis and a strict training regime. Under his guidance, Xavi and Iniesta forged the best midfield partnership, Messi became more versatile and lethal, and Pique a more stable but attack minded central defender. Toure, Busquets, Henry and Alves also increased their productivity in the past year.

So far, Guardiola has stayed true to his footballing philosophy and his players are always hungry for goals. By motivating his players and asking them to play the way football is supposed to be played, success has followed Guardiola and it is certainly not built on shaky foundations.

Next week, the clash of the titans will continue between the Catalan and the Portuguese which will fixate the entire football community. Pep Guardiola will do well to advice his players to refrain from diving. I believe Messi can deliver more damage dribbling the ball than diving blatantly or whining to the referee. Chelsea may have been the unfortunate victim of playacting last season but things do come full circle.

There is also an urgent need for Plan B when the direct route fails. Inter Milan effectively cut off Barcelona’s supplies by denying Xavi time and space on the ball. When Messi fails to dance through Inter’s defense, there is not much penetration from the Blaugranas. What is left from the formidable Barcelona are long aerial balls which were handily dealt with.

Shifting the emphasis along the flanks will have created more trouble for Inter Milan which also happens to yield Barcelona’s first goal. However, the left wing is a dilemna for Guardiola without the effeverscent Henry. He will have to select either Maxwell or Bojan but both lack the cutting edge or that moment of brilliance when the chips are down.

The substitutions are also crucial as Guardiola failed to lift the team or inject attacking impetus with his changes in the first leg. Above all, Pep Guardiola has to shore up his defense when faced with Inter Milan’s quadruple front line.

I believe Barcelona will score at home and they can seek solace that Inter Milan may have to make a similar long distance bus trip to Spain. However, Mourinho may yet have an ace up his sleeve. If there is anybody who can protect a two goal lead and spring a surprise at Nou Camp, it has to Jose Mourinho.

Given the depth of talent, contrast in styles, tactical nous of the managers, and the suffocating weight of expectations as history is in the making, I believe the second leg will show football fans around the world why Champions League is the most prestigious tournament.

Trumping Jose Mourinho in the semi final and another 90 minutes of thrilling action in the finals will see Barcelona create history by lifting consecutive Champions League titles. Such historic moments fuel the romanticism of the Champions League. I am inclined to believe Pep Guardiola will step up to the challenge and leapfrog Jose Mourinho as the most sought-after coach in Europe.

At the moment, Pep Guardiola’s contract with Barcelona expires at the end of the season and there are no confirmation of extension yet. He could be tempted to Manchester United but he will certainly prefer to extend his legacy at Barcelona. Even if he is to call it a day and stop coaching, his achievements will be etched in the Catalans’ memory as their amazing coach who did it all in one season.