...and to Mestalla We Go!

Barça is not having a sweet moment right now. The team dynamic is gone, the futbol quality is not present and on top of that they have not won in the last 5 games. Right now the question is: what has happened to this team that in less than 35 days ago was the envy of Europe? To make things worse, Real Madrid went from being 12 points away to being only 4 is less than a month!

The two Ps of Barça. I have come to an explanation for Barcelona’s successful game in the past months which consists on the application of these 2 Ps known as Pressure & Presence. Pressure refers to the defensive scheme that Guardiola had in which as soon as the rival team got the ball at least 2 Barça players would surround him thus making pressure on the pitch and make him lose the ball. This principle has been lost in the past month. For example, against Atletico Maxi Rodriguez would have the ball for 10 seconds and nobody would cover him. The end result was a dream coming back and a heartbreaking lost or Barça. The Second P refers to “presence” and it is about the presence of the so called “cracks” like Messi, Eto’o, Xavi, Puyol etc. these men have been away in the last couple of games and Barcelona suffer as a team. Messi seems to be getting back but sometimes even Messi is not enough.

The Path to Mestalla. Barça qualified for a place in the final of the King’s Cup for the first time in 11 years. However, to say that it was easy is to fool yourself. Atletico didn’t bring the best and neither did Espanyol; but tonight at the ONO Stadium Mallorca almost brought back the memories from Getafe 2 years go when they eliminate Barça while coming back from a 5-1. Pep Guardiola abandoned his principles yet again and the game displayed by Barca can be considered quite embarrassing. If the team is in Mestalla for the next final on May 13 is thanks to two men: Messi and Pinto. The Argentinean did what he does best; he came in the second half and scored the gol that tied the game 1-1 and sentenced the match. But the real hero was second goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto. The ex player from Celta stopped a penalty shot that would have been the 2-0 for Mallorca. Barca can be happy for being in the final but the way they are playing is way below expectations.

Morbid Weekend. This coming weekend the two final teams in the King’s Cup will meet in Nou Camp in the round 26 of La Liga. This will be a preview of what’s to come in May 13 at Mestalla. To make things more interesting Barcelona must get a victory to finally re-engaged in the positive dynamic they were in. The team cannot afford to give Real Madrid more chances to win La Liga. The memories of la liga 2006-07 are still fresh in the minds of the fans. However, it is not time to doubt but time to support the team. The qualifying for the final of the King’s Cup may be the beginning of the end of negative results.