Apart from the Messi years when has Barca ever been stellar in the champions league / European cup? Back in the day Barca were smaller than Liverpool and the Italian giants in European football terms. Barca even being considered a real near-rival to Real is relatively recent .
Fantasy Football's back.
I think some random years in the 90s? Ronaldinhos peak? And Peps Barca till Xavi left. Messi's presence alone has made people think of them as contenders for the past 4 years or so
No, they had that big name, but not the big ears hardware. They won 3 UEFA/Fairs and 4 CWC's cups but never CL until 92. Lost to Bucharest at the Nou Camp on pens in 86. IIRC they were the first team to win the inaugural Fairs Cup.
You have the Pre Cruyff, Cruyff and the Post Cruyff eras. And the latter 2 shape modern Barca.
Barca and Real have always been rivals, that goes beyond football, it's basically Liverpool/Manchester canal beef, but with General Franco instead. Remember Spanish teams are CF but yet Barca is the English version, but in Franco era it was CF.
Barca and Real have always been rivals
Bayern....just wow.
I know y'all hate my side, but from a footballing standpoint, City vs Bayern could be one of the best matches ever.
"Back in the day Barca were smaller than Liverpool and the Italian giants in European football terms. Barca even being considered a real near-rival to Real is relatively recent."
That is not what "real near-rivals" means.
This club is a mess. Get into bed with Raul and his agent network, make his signings and then sack him days later
Can he take Luiz, Cedric and Willian with him, please?
InterestingBayern (like Germany) does the "reliable" well but doesn't do the "outstanding" well.
So in years when none or few of the big teams, that fluctuate between extremes of bad and good, are playing well then reliable, consistently good Bayern sneak in.
That is why they have lost so many finals. Regularly over such a long period. Germany too at the World Cup.
Italy == Lambos, Fezzas and at the other end Puntos.
UK == Rolls, Bentley and Leyland.
German offerings cluster in the middle and get no higher than Porsche. Reliable, consistent, does all the core things well but never fantasy cars or fantasy football.
They have both handed some of the biggest beat downs of all time. 4 World cups and it should have been more but for some shyt luck(been in more finals than Brazil) and has scored massive amounts of goals. Germany has always been spectacular at football.Bayern (like Germany) does the "reliable" well but doesn't do the "outstanding" well.
So in years when none or few of the big teams, that fluctuate between extremes of bad and good, are playing well then reliable, consistently good Bayern sneak in.
That is why they have lost so many finals. Regularly over such a long period. Germany too at the World Cup.
Italy == Lambos, Fezzas and at the other end Puntos.
UK == Rolls, Bentley and Leyland.
German offerings cluster in the middle and get no higher than Porsche. Reliable, consistent, does all the core things well but never fantasy cars or fantasy football.
At his age he’ll retire soon. He’s the icon for Barcaanyone else thinks Messi has become a luxury player over the past few years?
what other top team can he go and play the way he does and have the whole team cater to how he plays? He doesn't run off the ball or move off the ball, he can't stick to his og position because he usually shifts in, but that becomes a problem for the cm trying to to his job and the rb hardly has anyone to pass it forward to. since he doesn't have a work rate off the ball he can't be in midfield.
anyone else thinks Messi has become a luxury player over the past few years?
what other top team can he go and play the way he does and have the whole team cater to how he plays? He doesn't run off the ball or move off the ball, he can't stick to his og position because he usually shifts in, but that becomes a problem for the cm trying to to his job and the rb hardly has anyone to pass it forward to. since he doesn't have a work rate off the ball he can't be in midfield.