How would Barcelona and Real Madrid fare in the Premier League?
“Would Barcelona be able to cope with the physicality of the Premier League? With the long throws and long balls that teams like Stoke and Blackburn would play against them? I don’t think so.”
Back in 2010, during a match between Everton and Manchester City, Andy Gray quoted the above. Not a statement made after a lot of thought but nevertheless, the statement stands for itself. On the face of it, what Gray wishes/ assumes is perhaps the fact that Barcelona’s extensively intricate passing game shall be rendered null by the physical challenges posed by the English sides.
Going into more detail, Gray suggests that the most celebrated club of the last decade will not survive against a team that barely manages to make the top half of the Premier League. This statement comes down as amateur and childish, unworthy of coming out of a well-known football critic.
As we plunder further into this topic, let’s take a look into an impossible idea, but one that shall open up some arguments. How would Real Madrid and Barcelona, the two stalwarts of La Liga (sorry Atletico, one more year and you shall be here) fare in the Premier League? Let’s pose this analysis through different means:
Players
Well, this area is one where Premier League isn’t remotely close to the La Liga. The departure of Luis Suarez recently deprived the Premier League of the one player they had who could claim to match up to Spanish levels.
Eden Hazard, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Robin van Persie Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero are some players who could possibly make this list. Please note that I am definitely not including Wayne Rooney who hasn’t showcased performances that live up to anywhere near the tag of world-class.
Compared to this meager list, Barcelona and Real Madrid are far ahead. Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta, Leo Messi and so many more. Real Madrid and Barcelona are genuinely filled with stars that the Premier League can hardly think of matching. No one in the Premier League is even close to the likes of Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Added to that, players such as Ronaldo, Alonso and Gareth Bale have lots of experience in the Premier League. They are some of the players well-versed with the demands of the Premier league. This definitely tilts the balance in favour of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
If we look at it from the perspective of players, Barcelona and Real Madrid are superior and may leave the top Premier League clubs trailing far behind. In such an event, the most likely scenario is that clubs such as Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are fighting for the Champions League spots while the superiority of Spanish clubs reduces the Premier League to a two-horse race.
Manager and Administration – Profound ground work
Josep Guardiola, the man behind Barcelona’s excellent administration of the passing philosophy always laid his stress on one thing, dominating the ball. It was his belief that a team that dominated the ball had a greater chance of winning than the one who trailed on the ball. True to his word, he set up a team which was adept at finding spaces. Guardiola inherited a team he knew well, a philosophy that was well-established and a player who showed bouts of brilliance never seen before and he effectively worked them together to create the greatest club of the past decade.
Unlike such profound analyses, English clubs often are placed in precarious situations due to the improper administration of the club. A huge example was Jose Mourinho’s sacking in 2007 after disagreements with the board. Roman Abrahamovic had bought Andriy Shevchenko against the wishes of the manager, and he chose to quit. While democracy may prevail around the world, in a football club, one person rules over.
And that’s the manager. He makes the team tick and he must be the one to take decisions. The owner must remain to his duties which shall be nothing more than approving the decisions of the managers and advising them financially. By his own idiocy, not only did he lose an excellent manager, he also lost the confidence Mourinho had built at Chelsea. From a team that dominated Premier League with a bossy 4-3-3, they were down to playing 10 at the back to fend off big teams.
To avoid such unwanted problems and tamper with the harmony of the team, Barcelona follow a policy where the manager is Numero Uno. Real Madrid, known for their costly signings, leaves the running of the team to their manager, which happens to be Ancelloti. He made a tactical masterstroke upon his arrival, which was the usage of a 4-3-3 that effectively transformed into a 4-2-3-1 as and when required. Angel di Maria was the key in that formation and he displayed it at the big stage. The mark of a great manager is to bring out the best from his resources. Although Mourinho is in the Premier League, he was unable to prove his full worth as he ended up without a trophy and could not make it big in Europe.
Premier League’s fallen back principles - A Physical Game
The Premier League’s teams play varied formations. From a 4-4-2 by Manchester City to a 5-3-2 by Liverpool last season, the diversity in tactics is quite established. However, the lack of technically astute players has been quite a blow to their Premier League. As evidenced by La Liga’s domination of Europe, Spain’s unquestioned superiority over England leaves them a pretty easy field. The physical game has never really shied away from the English teams and the one team that go against it, Arsenal perform inconsistently. This shows that English teams always have an amount of physicality which is easily countered by a technical approach.
The Premier League nullifying Barca’s superiority with physical exhibitions is literally impossible on a consistent basis. Barca are so disciplined and technically astute on the field that even a rough and violent game won’t suffice to dismantle them. Barca’s players are predominantly small, and have a low center of gravity making it easy for them to survive in a league of tough men.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, counterattacks very well. They have players who function efficiently in that system and that serve them well. By winning the Champions League last season, they showed us that they could beat any team on the planet. Once again, English players lack of discipline contributes a lot to their downfall. They disintegrate during matches and invite the opposition to exploit them, while Real Madrid perform as a combined unit throughout. There isn’t much of tactical brilliance like Barca, but a proper plan is what Real Madrid have and that works like a charm against any team.