#4 Fear factor
For years, the Catalan team have rolled over, humiliated and convincingly defeated their opponents in Spain and Europe with their brand of fast, precise and incisive football, which is energy-sapping, mentally and physically for opponents.
Barcelona have always had gifted individual talents – from László Kubala to Johan Cryuff, and Brazilians, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, to Messi, and now, Neymar – and there has been no shortage of world-class footballers who could change the course of the game with their prodigious talent.
But, Barcelona has always been about the team as a whole; the team which includes the players, the backroom staff, and more importantly, the fans.
That combine, coupled with the aura of facing one of the greatest teams in the world is a daunting task for any side and may bring jitters to even the most experienced of players.
(Video Courtesy: LhageBendada YouTube Channel)
This season, the Catalans have had an average possession of 61% and an average of nearly 17 shots per game. And with strikers of the calibre of Messi, Neymar and Suarez, there are bound to be many that ripple the back of the net.
Teams facing the Catalans often sit back and defend in fear of being dispatched off easily, but it is often a counter-intuitive tactic as it offers the freedom of the pitch to the fleet-footed and quick players that Barcelona possess, as PSG found out at Camp Nou.
The ability of the Blaugrana’s players to adapt to different pitch conditions and opposition tactics to stop them from playing, as well as embracing new systems, gives them an edge over other teams.
