BARCELONA • It was a decade ago when former Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson dubbed Barcelona the best team he had faced, but those still left from that iconic generation have work to do.
Only three players remain from the treble-winning squad of 2009 and when Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique line up against Liverpool today, they may wonder if this could be their best chance for another, and perhaps final, Champions League triumph.
Ferguson conceded after their 2-0 final loss that "nobody had given us a hiding" like Pep Guardiola's team, although the Scot also then expressed doubts about their European Cup hegemony as "great teams go in cycles".
While Barcelona are indisputably Spain's best, wrapping up their eighth league title in 11 years over the weekend, Ernesto Valverde's men know their domestic dominance has been tainted by underachievement in Europe.
Regardless of whether they win another double this term - Valencia are their King's Cup final opponents - their season will be defined by whether the club lift its sixth Champions League on June 1.
Standing in their way of a first final appearance since 2015 are Liverpool who, with just 20 Premier League goals conceded, have the most miserly backline of any team in Europe's top five leagues.
But Barcelona's rearguard are no slouches as well. They have let in the fewest goals (six) of any side in the Champions League this season.
FINAL IN SIGHT
In the Champions League you cannot allow yourself not even a second of distraction. The objective is the next game. Nothing can distract us from trying to be in the final. We have to have the best game of our season.
LUIS SUAREZ, Barcelona striker, revealing his team's single-minded focus to reach the final.
And with Luis Suarez running the channels, Messi with his licence to roam and Philippe Coutinho cutting in from the left, the Catalans have the firepower to breach Liverpool's backline, marshalled by Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk.
There will also be no room for sentiment for Suarez, who face his former club in today's first leg at the Nou Camp for the first time since he left Liverpool in 2014.
The Uruguay striker, who was idolised on Merseyside during a prolific four-year stint, has every intention of shooting down the Reds as the Champions League is "a thorn in the side" the Spanish champions are desperate to remove.
While he admitted facing Liverpool "was special" for him, as the fans "treated me with a lot of love", and he still "speaks regularly with (Jordan) Henderson", he reiterated he now "belonged to Barcelona".
The 32-year-old told Spanish daily Sport: "After some years when we didn't get there, the Champions League semi-final has raised great expectations, the objective in this final part of the season is clear.
"In the Champions League you cannot allow yourself not even a second of distraction. The objective is the next game. Nothing can distract us from trying to be in the final. We have to have the best game of our season.
"After three years being knocked out... We had to return and we are on a good track. Facing my old team will be one more motivation."
Barcelona's record - they are unbeaten at home in 31 Champions League games - may give them the edge ahead of the return fixture at Anfield on May 7.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
SINGAPORE - The Football Association of Singapore unveiled Joe Palatsides as its new technical director at a press conference at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday (May 2). The 53-year-old Australian worked at A-League club Melbourne City from 2012 before he resigned last month as the assistant coach of the senior team.
Jan Poulsen, Chief Executive Officer at thinkstep AG
Uncategorized Ake strikes late to sink nine-man Spurs. Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Nine-man Tottenham Hotspur's bid for Champions League football was rocked on Saturday after Nathan Ake's last-gasp winner punished red cards for Son Heung-min and Juan Foyth and condemned Spurs to a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Bournemouth.
Nathan Ake strikes late to help Bournemouth sink nine-man
And according to Spanish news outlet Don Balon, who often make bold claims, Messi has told Valverde to alter his starting line-up. They sensationally say the Argentina talisman wants Valverde to drop Gomes for tomorrow night's clash at the Nou Camp. Gomes, 24, has struggled to impress at the Nou Camp following his move to Barca in 2016.
Coutinho set for Barca axe | ClubCall.com
Experienced Liverpool making a big statement, says Klopp "We have been together for a while, we needed to be more mature," Klopp said. "The boys made their own experience in this
Experienced Liverpool making a big statement, says Klopp
huffington-global.com/experienced-liverpool-making-a-big-statement-says-klopp/
Experienced Liverpool making a big statement, says Klopp. PORTO (Reuters) - Liverpool face a testing Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, but have made a statement by reaching the last four for the second straight year and are equipped to deal with the very best, manager Juergen Klopp said.
Football: Experienced Liverpool making a big statement, says
The inquest into Maurizio Sarri's reign will be ramped up further over the next few days with Chelsea's top-four hopes having suffered a huge blow. That Gonzalo Higuain failed to open his account for his new side on his Premier League debut, only made things worse.
'Too stubborn' - These Chelsea fans say the same thing about
Tottenham Hotspur showed why manager Mauricio Pochettino is a wanted man by thrashing Everton 6-2 at Goodison Park on Sunday to close to within six points of Premier League leaders Liverpool. Spurs have had to cope with the unwanted attention of Pochettino being linked with the Manchester United job following Jose Mourinho's sacking this week.
Spurs shine to hit Everton for six | The Guardian Nigeria
LONDON, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk is back in training but remains doubtful for the Premier League leaders' home match against Leicester City at Anfield on Wednesday.
Van Dijk a doubt for Leicester game - Klopp
The 17th Asian Cup finals will be the biggest in the 62-year history of the tournament but even with 24 teams battling it out, it is hard to look much beyond regional powers Iran, Japan and South
Usual suspects in the frame at expanded Asian Cup
Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Cardiff City - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - December 29, 2018 Cardiff City's Victor Camarasa scores their first goal Action Images vi
Football: Cardiff earn first away win with late Camarasa
Sergio Aguero's penalty gave champions Manchester City a 1-0 win over West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to stay a point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. The decisive moment came in the 59th minute when Felipe Anderson was ruled to have brought down Bernardo Silva and Aguero coolly slotted home from the spot.
Man City 1-0 West Ham: Sergio Aguero scores penalty to seal
The Bankruptcy Means Test. Among other things involved in the bankruptcy process, before you can file a Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy, you will have to take a means test.The means test identifies those debtors who have the financial capacity to pay a significant portion of their bills to creditors.
List of retailers affected by the retail apocalypse - Wikipedia
Football: Late Ronaldo goal foils Torino, Football News & Top
Follow all the latest Thai Premier League football news, fixtures, stats, and more on ESPN. champions for a fresh challenge at Thai Honda in the Thailand second tier. the second Thai
Football Strike Tips, Cheats and Strategies - Gamezebo
Recalling Origi's "lucky goal", the Portuguese manager also mocked the manner in which the Reds boss celebrated the win as if it "was the final of a World Cup". EVERTON V LIVERPOOL Singtel TV
When the Reds will compete in the Club World Cup
0 comments:
Post a Comment