How Barcelona reached the final
Saturday, May 30, 2015
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With an attack of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez, it is little wonder FC Barcelona are in Berlin, but there has been plenty more to the campaign; Graham Hunter explains.
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Back in the final after a four-year absence, FC Barcelona are targetting a fifth European crown and after combining consistency at the back with a spectacular strike force, they will fancy their chances in Berlin.
Story of the season
Luis Enrique replacing Gerardo Martino in early summer marked the return of a club hero, albeit one with a relatively short senior coaching CV and someone who had never been beyond the last four of this competition. Initially there were the usual queries about whether the 'bedding-in' process between high-profile, ultra-successful superstar players and strong-minded, independent thinking coach was progressing quickly or smoothly enough.
However the turnaround, in all three of their major competitions, since the first week of January has been spectacular. 29 wins, two draws, two defeats, 101 goals scored, 22 conceded. Barcelona, like Juventus, are already league champions but have the Copa del Rey final to play on 30 May before the two meet in Berlin.
Record this season: P12 W10 D0 L2 F28 A10
Pivotal moment
Unquestionably Lionel Messi's first goal against FC Bayern München in the semi-final first leg. The contest had been absolutely titanic – possibly as high quality, intense, error free, football as some of us will ever see. Strategic excellence and 22 players straining every last sinew of talent to carve the slightest advantage. Only 13 minutes remained. Manuel Neuer restarted play with his trademark quick throw, Juan Bernat attempted to take advantage of counterattacking from deep but Daniel Alves, super alert, picked him off. A little shimmy of his own and a ball to Messi and suddenly not only was Neuer beaten, 1-0, but the floodgates were about to open.
Key player
Several candidates here. Marc-André ter Stegen made crucial saves right from his debut on matchday one against APOEL FC, until Munich in the semi-final second leg. The impact of Luis Suárez and Neymar has been immense. But Messi is leagues ahead in this category. Plainly inspired from start to finish in the competition his display against Manchester City FC in the round of 16 second leg was so epic that it could win this key player award on its own.
Unsung hero
Options would include Sergio Busquets and Gerard Piqué, both now consistently playing their best football for four years. But the winner is Luis Enrique, who could emulate Josep Guardiola in winning a treble in his first season. It took fans, media, and some players, a few months to come to terms with the Asturian's rotations and experimentations in the first half of the season but he has been proven correct by Barcelona's form in 2015.
Number: 1,020
The number of seconds left when Messi scored his first against Bayern in the Camp Nou. Seventeen minutes, or 1,020 seconds, later it was 3-0 and the tie was as good as over.
Quote
"Messi is unstoppable"
Josep Guardiola after the Argentinian's first-leg performance against Bayern.