5 reasons why Barcelona can win the Champions League

Coach Valverde has been a breath of fresh air since he joined from Athletic Bilbao
Coach Valverde has been a breath of fresh air since he joined from Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona haven't tasted Champions League glory in two years and have suffered the ignominy of watching arch-rivals Real Madrid win it twice in a row. The club has also been criticised by fans for losing its philosophy and trademark style of play with in-fighting, recriminations and antagonism threatening to tear the club apart from within.

The under-fire Barcelona board took measures to ease some pressure by appointing experienced manager Ernesto Valverde to replace Luis Enrique at the dugout.

Under his tutelage, Barcelona have regained momentum as they sit proudly atop the La Liga standings. The club is keen to get its hands on some silverware and being the team to stop Los Merengues from a record-breaking hattrick of Champions League titles would be oh-so-satisfying for the Blaugrana.


#1 Underrated summer signings

Barcelona v Espanyol - La Liga
Ousmane Dembele is expected to recover from his injury before the December El Clasico

Although Barcelona's summer transfer window was mocked for its scatter-gun look, the Blaugrana managed to get some world-class talent in the summer.

Nelson Semedo was signed from Benfica, and the right-back has been influential in both offensive and defensive situations for a team that had been struggling to find a perfect replacement for Dani Alves.

After Aleix Vidal, Sergi Roberto and Mascherano have had stints occupying the right-back role, Semedo has made the position his with a string of good performances.

The marquee signing; Ousmane Dembélé has not had time to strut his stuff given his ruptured tendon but given his age and potential, he is expected to be a shining light for years to comes.

Brazilian international Paulinho's controversial signing from China was met with a chorus of boos and jeers but it has worked out well for the club as the Brazilian has proved to be a boon both offensively and defensively.

#2 Reinforced Defence

Sporting CP v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League
Semedo has been instrumental in Barcelona under Valverde
"In my teams, the goalie is the first attacker, and the striker is the first defender." - Johan Cruyff

With a strong back-line of Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, and in-form fullbacks Nelson Semedo and Jordi Alba, Ernesto Valverde has made sure his defensive line stays up and strong to aid the smooth passage of play in the midfield.

Hero of the comeback against Paris and creator of the iconic winner against Madrid last season, Sergi Roberto has also stepped up to serve efficiently both as a midfielder and as a right-back.

The Spaniard's ability to perform in different roles has been crucial for Valverde to execute his squad rotation policy which has helped keep the team fresh at all times.

One school of thought believes that Neymar's departure has been a blessing-in-disguise for the system, as the motion of offence has been smoother without the Brazilian's flair on the flank with Alba overlapping more efficiently.

With reliable German shot-stopper Marc Andre Ter-Stegen in inspired form, the Blaugrana guaranteed a defensive solidity that has been missing for a while.

Conceding just three goals in La Liga and only one in the Champions League, things are looking up for the Blaugrana.

#3 Unbeaten Run

Athletic Club v Barcelona - La Liga
Messi extended Barcelona's streak with a goal against Bilbao

Undefeated in all competition in the 2017-2018 season since the Super Copa loss to Real Madrid, Barcelona have managed to stay clear on the top of both the Spanish league table and their Champions League group table.

A 13-game unbeaten run on the bounce have given Barcelona a resounding momentum which might shape up the remaining of the season in Spain and in Europe. Finding the net 35 times in all competitions and conceding just four times provides Barcelona with a potential title-clinching early boost.

It is not clear as to how long Barcelona's run may last and speculations have been made regarding its near end due to several below-average performances of the midfield in the absence of key players like Sergio Busquets.

With three wins out of three in the Champions League group stage, Barcelona are certain to advance to the knock-out and the remaining three matches could provide a platform for the fringe players to prove their worth.

Troubled times at enemy camps add to the probability of Barcelona going further in the Champions League. With the Manchester Clubs having a long fixture list, also devoid of any winter breaks, fatigue could take its toll on them. Bayern Munich's administrative imbalance would also favour the odds for Barcelona, who are already enjoying the comfort being on top of their forms as fierce Rivals Real Madrid have failed to hit their best so far this season.

#4 Lionel Messi's form

FC Barcelona v Juventus - UEFA Champions League
Leo Messi leads the Top Scorer table in La Liga
"Once they said they can only stop me with a pistol. Today you need a machine gun to stop Messi." - Hristo Stoichkov

A team on his own, La Pulga has defied the odds time and again. Winning the Golden Boot last season didn't stop the Argentine to find his scoring boots early and well this season. Arguably the most dangerous False 9 in world football, the 5-time World Player Of the Year has been the moderator between the midfield and the final-third for Barcelona. Mazy dribbles and rocket-propelled strikes have taken the Argentine to new goal-scoring highs.

12 goals in the league and three in the Champions League opening throttle the Argentine on top of the goal-scoring charts. A resounding goal scoring tally is backed up by an impressive scoring frequency for the Argentine, who has found the back of the net every 75 minutes in the Spanish league 2017/18 season. Messi's left foot could well and surely be the reason for Barcelona's potential success this season.

Messi's heroics have not only been crucial for his club but also his national team as the Argentines were rescued from the humiliation of not qualifying for the World Cup by the talismanic forward, arguably the greatest player to ever grace the beautiful game.

#5 Midfield control and rotations

FC Barcelona v Juventus - UEFA Champions League
Busquets is the pivot in the Blaugrana midfield
"Valverde is one of the most outstanding and promising coaches in Spanish football." - Johan Cruyff

With glimpses of revolutionary Tiki-Taka, high pressing game and a control over the opposition midfielder have sparked memories from the Pep Guardiola era. Something with Barcelona lacked under Luis Enrique, the midfield trio of Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, and Ivan Rakitic are orchestrated beautifully to coordinate and break defensive lines. After Neymar's big money transfer to Paris, the Barcelona game-style subtly shifted from the attacking trident to the midfield.

With Lionel Messi as a false 9, the Barcelona midfield looks dangerous while in possession. Rakitic's improving form has helped Valverde in finding a perfect mix for the midfield. Amends in the in-game position of the Barcelona no. 4 have aided his form rejuvenation. Now back to the central domain of the pitch, the Croation who used to play more on the touchline under Enrique has been contributory to the improvements.

Ernesto Valverde's rotation policy has worked well for Barcelona players, especially Andres Iniesta and Sergi Roberto. Unlike Luis Enrique, the ex-Bilbao man doesn't prefer making mammoth changes to the starting XI every weekend. Keeping his main men as regular, the Spaniard efficiently rotates the rest of players to ease out on recoveries and to prevent fatigues before big clashes.

With an improved squad depth, Sergi Roberto, Denis Suarez, Deulofeu inherit immense ability to come off the bench an make lasting impacts on any match which was a positive Barcelona had in the summer while Real Madrid lost its bench strength with the departure of James Rodrigues, Danilo, Alvaro Morata and Pepe.

Injuries have also taken their toll on the Blancos while Barcelona has managed to stay relatively better off on the medical front. The injured Dembele could be readily replaced by Denis Suarez or Deulofeu, both of whom have proved their calibre when given the chances.

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Edited by Amit Mishra