Football fans the world over know Barcelona better than any other team, apart from their own personal favourites. We have all marvelled at how this side redefined the game at club level, before carrying their modus operandi and success to the Spanish national team, with an even greater win ratio, but the devil is in the detail, and the details point to a vulnerability in Barcelona.
They have won European trophies three times in the last nine seasons but only once in the other six seasons have they been eliminated by a non-British team. Five times in nine seasons they have passed, jinked and outplayed British opposition without creating enough clear-cut chances to win the tie, or by protecting their goal sufficiently well.
Inter parked the bus in the 2010 Champions League semi-final, as only Inter can, but all others across continental Europe have been swept aside, no matter how defensively, flamboyantly or aggressively they play.
The pool of teams capable of beating over two legs Barcelona is admittedly small but any opponent who reaches the knock out stage of a competition from France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Italy or Spain itself would take their chances seriously. The Russians, Ukrainians and Belgians would have a go too. None of these countries have a single team better than Barca by any objective measure, but the same is true of British teams.
There is something about the high-tempo nature of the British game this team just doesn’t cope well with. If they did, they would have won at least twice as many European trophies as they have in the last nine seasons. If it’s objective evidence you are looking for, you don’t need to look too far for a style of football Barcelona don’t cope with.
Chelsea triumphed twice during the period while Liverpool and Manchester United both won once. The sequence started when Celtic drew 0-0 at the Camp Nou after a 1-0 win in Glasgow in 2004. Liverpool also knocked Barca out three years earlier and don’t ask a Dundee United fan about their exploits at the Camp Nou unless you have an hour to kill!
Play your own game, Celtic.
Click here to read the fabulous CQN Magazine for free, or strain your eyes squinting below. You can also buy a hard copy of the magazine here from Magcloud.
[calameo code=000390171a36dad35d58c lang=en page=48 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
378 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- »
The Gaudi Gazebo
Hail hail malorbhoy- from behind the couch.
Are you in Barca?
BSR
Many thanks for the photos.
Good exchange between Conrad Black and Adam Boulton on Sky,might be on youtube
Celtic First
If you are looking in, I am relying on you to give accurate and fulsome reports on the game as it unfolds.
I am sure you won’t let us down.
DBBIA
No just along the road from you ,you are more than welcome to come along a view if you so wish
malorbhoy- I’m tempted but I have a ton of paperwork to do.
Whats the odds we score first??
DBBIA
No bother I will be with you in spirit (Large Spirits)
Hail Hail
BSR – Top notch amigo; have you spotted BT aboot anywhere???
slainte
tony
Spartak/Benfica about to ko
A draw in this would be ideal
Hope the bhoys put on a show and don’t let the travelling fans down.
I have put a daft bet on for Sammy to score the only goal of the game. £5 gets me over 3k if it comes up, but I will be just as happy to see a draw or a win of any sort and even a defeat as long as it is not a humiliation and we get a good game.
Come on the hoops!
I’ve got it.
Height advantage = constant, unremitting heady tennis = 100% possession for Celtic.
miki67
Grovelling apology from them in the rag today. Lets all switch to Come Dancin when the X Factor comes on on Saturday night.
No more than 2 dozen Benfica fans in Moscow by the looks of things
Early header from Spartak – saved.
Spartak go 1-0 up
Spartak score.
Looking for a draw from that game.
Any news on the other Group game 5pm kick off i believe
McGeady playing?
HH
God whoodathunkit i must have had a premonition
McGeady not playing – injured.
Headtheball
cheers
HH
The bookies odds are fair drawn in. Could only get 66-1 on Celtic and big Victor as first goal scorer.
If he doesn’t and its either Hoops or Sammi then I suppose I won’t be too upset!!!! HH
Come on you Bhoys in green
Reports just in from Barcelona saying massive outbreaks of singing,dancing ,laughing,celebrating,drinking and respecting of different cultures has broken out across the City.
Just in and Spartak 1 up already!
Fingers crossed for the draw.
Looks like we’re in the Hoops tonight!
Celtic kit is out… Team news at 6.30 Celtic Park Time (TH) http://ow.ly/i/13ek6
This rodrigo fella for benfica looks the part. He play against us at parkhead ?
Beneficial looking strong and having more possession. Great shot just tipped over a few minutes back.
More goals in this game.
Beneficial = Benfica
Celtic Soul Brother, how did you get in the dressing room????
If both are fit, I’d have Matthews and Kayal in the team tonight.
Both are very tidy, game aware players, something we’re going to need badly.
Oh, and they should be wearing the Hoops. We should always play in the Hoops in Europe. It’s our identity.
Am i right in saying we have never played a Turkish side in European competition?
Ole Tic tonic plates
proudbhoy
Not sure but he looks a different player compared to when he had a season on loan at Bolton in 2010/11 20 games 1 goal.
Benfica shaky at the back
Ten Men Won The League
17:22 on
23 October, 2012
Am i right in saying we have never played a Turkish side in European competition?
You are right never faced Turkish opposition in Europe!