Within 45 minutes, almost all of FC Barcelona’s hopes for the title that had taken shape out of nowhere in the past few weeks were dashed.
Barca led 2-0 last Saturday at break at Levante UD. Final score: 3: 3. A collapse of almost historic proportions. If the proud club led a team in the gray midfield of the table 2-0 at the break, then a short time ago they could have expected a Blaugrana peat festival. In the meantime, victory is no longer a given.
Barca’s shine is becoming more and more blurred. A similar trend can also be observed with the second Spanish giant.
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At FC Barcelona everything is put to the test
After Atlético Madrid’s 2-1 win on Wednesday evening the dream of the championship for Barca is almost over. They are four points behind Atlético – with two games left to play.
Real Madrid could at least move up to two points on their city rivals with a win in the catch-up game, but Atlético has everything in their own hands. (Service: Table of La Liga)
Most recently, after a disastrous start at Barca, it looked like the Catalans could still save the season. The 4-0 win in the final of the Copa del Rey against Athletic Bilbao should have been the thundering starting signal for it. The remaining chords sounded suspiciously like minor.
The solos of the magician – by Lionel Messi – are also missing in Barcelona. The superstar can still decide every game single-handedly on a good day. However, he no longer saves Barca continuously when things go bad for the team.
Messi is now 33 years old and recently it has seemed more and more like he has passed his zenith. Nevertheless, he is now supposed to sign a crazy ten-year contract – including employment after the end of his career. The Argentine is not up for debate, but almost every other personality around the team.
Everything is being scrutinized in Catalonia.
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Unthinkable at Real Madrid
It’s no different with their big rivals in Madrid.
The Galactic also no longer shine beyond their white jerseys and the Real Madrid games are sometimes more boring than spectacular. After the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo at the latest, Los Blancos are not much more than a “normal” top club from a sporting point of view.
In addition: Real is not even particularly successful anymore.
Something unthinkable is currently looming at Real: Sergio Ramos, defense chief and king of the royal family, will probably leave the club quietly at the end of the season.
With him – as at some point with Messi at Barca – the last big star of a successful era will give way, which produced four Champions League titles in five years. Karim Benzema is still there, but his standing cannot be compared with that of Ramos or Ronaldo.
Coach Zinedine Zidane still has this nimbus on the sidelines. In the end he, too, often seemed more perplexed than omniscient. A farewell to the French is possible, after all, he has already thrown it.
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Koeman before the end – but what then?
At Barca, the current coach could soon have to resign if coach Ronald Koeman could soon be history again. “How can Koeman continue after that?” She asked Brand after the embarrassing 3: 3.
“Coaches are always questioned,” said the Dutchman after the game at Levante: “But I understand that there will be questions after this second half.” The question is whether Koeman has answers ready. That wasn’t the case shortly after the game.
The broader question is which direction Barca want to go now. The glory days around Puyol, Xavi and Iniesta are history. Messi is the last memory of it that he revives in good moments. The Catalans now have to line up for the time after Messi.
Xavi should lead this FC Barcelona of the future as a coach. He recently extended his contract with Al Sadd until 2023. He now had several options to return to his heart club. So far it has not done so.
That’s why Barca contacted the advisory group of the outgoing Bayern coach Hansi Flick. Indeed: SPORT1 knows that such a deal will not materialize. Flick wants to go to the DFB.
How do Barca intend to make a turnaround?
The questions raised by the players are very different.
Prodigal son Neymar recently signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain. Anyway, the question would be how Barca can afford new superstars. The Catalans are sitting on a horrific mountain of debt that could even endanger the existence of such a proud club if it is not paid off soon. (Transfermarkt The hottest rumors in the transfer ticker)
Real is not a bed of roses financially either
Barca also share the financial problem with their big rivals.
Real is also heavily in debt – albeit not in the billions like the Catalans. Because of the financial situation, President Florentino Pérez recently pushed for the Super League, whose failure he still does not want to admit.
Financial worries, sporting crises and the serious misstep with the Super League – the reputation is wasted. FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have lost their reputation as the two overpowering world clubs from Spain.
Indeed, other teams could play the leading roles in La Liga in the next few years. Atlético Madrid, for example, that with a style of play that is almost refreshingly spectacular for their standards is striking and will probably take advantage of Barca and Real’s weaknesses.
But also a club like Real Sociedad, which under the motto “youth research” caused a stir last year and confirmed the good performances this season, is moving closer to Barca and Real. It’s a chance for some teams to step out of the shadow of the giants.
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