SOCCER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:BY THE time Max Tonetto sent his penalty sailing over the bar to make it four English teams in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the Catalan newspaper Sport was already putting the finishing touches to its front page. If the English were feeling pretty pleased with themselves, in Barcelona they were getting even more excited. "We've just seen the future champions" ran Sport's headline.
Pride before a fall, perhaps but Barcelona had just hammered Lyon 5-2 with another dazzling display. Notwithstanding Bayern Munich’s 12-1 aggregate thrashing of Sporting Lisbon, if there is a team that can withstand the challenge of the Premier League clubs it appears to be Barcelona.
That is certainly the conclusion drawn by Manchester United, who were heavily represented at Camp Nou. Even if United do not draw Barcelona next Friday, expect their scouts to keep returning: the belief at Old Trafford is Barcelona are the team they must strive to know most about; the one that, if United are to win the tournament, they will surely meet at some stage. Even if that is the final.
“It is hard to lose when we are on this kind of form,” said Thierry Henry, who scored twice on Wednesday night, while Seydou Keita, Samuel Eto’o and a wonderful, smooth run and soft-shoed finish from Leo Messi completed the party.
The Lyon coach, Claude Puel, declared them “favourites to win the European Cup”. If they are to achieve that they will surely face English opposition. It is, coach Pep Guardiola admitted, a prospect he relishes.
Hardly surprising when his side top the Spanish league by six points and have a place in the final of the Copa del Rey.
They have already scored 113 goals, 76 in La Liga, compared to Manchester United and Chelsea’s 48, 45 for Liverpool and 41 for Arsenal.
When you look at the midfield and forward line in Barcelona’s 4-1-2-3, it is easy to see why. It may be a doomed exercise but, with a free choice of the English clubs, ask yourself how many of the Catalans’ front five – Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Samuel Eto’o, Henry and Leo Messi – would be definitely dislodged.
The problem for Barcelona is that at the other end it is very different. Aggressive, tough, organised and quick sides have caused them problems this season. They scored five against Lyon but conceded two. They have the second best defensive record in Spain, based on starving opponents of the ball, but they have shown frailties lately, keeping just one clean sheet in six.
The feeling lingers that over two legs, any side will get chances against Barcelona; the key may be a team’s capacity to stop them at the other end. Set-plays, from which they have conceded 14 this season, are a particular Achilles’ heel.
The long-term absence of Gabriel Milito has suddenly been felt as Rafa Marquez’s form has become erratic: at fault against Lyon, he also gave away goals recently against Espanyol and Atletico Madrid. Carles Puyol is short, Gerard Pique slow, Eric Abidal injured, Sylvinho his replacement, and Daniel Alves no defender. Behind them, Victor Valdes is more capable of making shocking errors than he is great saves. On average, Barcelona concede twice as many away league goals as United and Chelsea.
Barca’s footballing philosophy means they will seek to out-score rather than out-defend their opponents. The evidence of recent years, when fortune has rarely favoured the brave and a mean defence has been as valuable as a wondrous attack, suggests they will have to be very good to achieve it. But then Barcelona are very, very good.
Police probe claim against Mourinho
POLICE ARE investigating claims that Jose Mourinho (above), Internazionale's coach, punched a gloating Manchester United fan in the face as he left Old Trafford on Wednesday night after seeing his team crash out of the Champions League. It has been alleged as he left the ground with his team to get on to their coach, he punched a fan who was goading him. Inter Milan immediately denied the incident had taken place, claiming none of the officials who were surrounding the former Chelsea manager had seen him confront or hit anyone.
