Bayern vs Barcelona: The 'Catalan rout' - Expected and unsurprising
- There is talk about Barcelona having become a one-man team with their over-reliance on “The Messi-ah”. Nobody said that when he hadn’t scored against Chelsea in 8-odd matches over the last few years.
- There is talk of the frail defence that Barcelona have been surviving with over the last few years, with the pretext that they will score more than they concede. Well, if anything, the Celtic and Milan away games in the UCL campaign this season should have been taken seriously, as the Catalans came out of the match without scoring any goals.
- There has also been ample talk about their inability to handle set-piece situations without the height in defence. Hasn’t this been a chink in their armour for the last few years? But it seems to be far too crucial now that they are losing a few matches.
The point I am trying to make here is that these indicators were always there. They have become all the more alarming today only when they have started losing. The ‘tiki-taka‘ has ruled football for the last 3-4 years; however, Barcelona have discounted the fact that this is enough time for other teams to analyse this style of play and find ways to deal with it. Chelsea have consistently ‘parked the bus’ and depended on counter-attack to beat Barcelona. Inter Milan did the same in the year they won the UCL. As much as one might say it is a negative tactic, in a sport where titles are at stake, winning matters. Till now, that seemed to the be the only tactical way to stop the Barcelona juggernaut. Until the Bavarians did it in their way.
The Bavarians have shown how tactical brilliance can derail the ‘most beautiful’ Catalans; in fact, it has been quite a rout. They have taken advantage of all the above mentioned frailties of the Catalans, not just once, but twice, in the process coming back from Camp Nou with a clean sheet as well – this deserves all the applause.
Bayern never really parked the bus. Their swift counter-attacks were led by the 2 lions on the flanks – Ribery and Robben. However, their real warhorses were Bastian and Martinez, who did the job of closing down the Catalan midfield when they were in the Bayern half. Mind you, over the two legs, Barcelona still had 60% odd possession, which means Bayern did not waste their energy in trying to win the ball in the Catalan half. However, they marked the spaces within their half really well and made crucial tackles in key areas.
Step back a little and you had the colossal Alaba and Dante who had untiring legs, and such good fitness that their tackles were never delayed even in the last 10-15 mins of the game. As I write this, I suddenly remember the one man who left a great mark in the 1st leg – one who epitomizes German efficiency and how – the indomitable Thomas Muller!
Barcelona have become a victim of their own success. Their obsession with their style of play has led them to not acknowledging the need for a ‘Plan B’. Without any defensive replacements and no physical presence in the absence of a real striker, they do not have the resources to execute any Plan B! Being adamant can sometimes make your vision myopic, where the obvious is not seen and when it is, it’s hard to believe, until it all comes crashing down.
This ‘Catalan rout’ has been in the making for some time. The Germans just executed it ruthlessly.