SUCCESS!
First and foremost we have to remember that this was the first season of the ‘post Pep’ era. The season where we would be licking our wounds and trying to rebuild for the future as it was the end of our cycle and Madrid where obviously now the team to beat (with their record points haul the season before) with also having the ‘Saviour’ in Mourinho at the helm.
We lost Abidal our first choice left back and then we lost Tito for most of the season with Roura (a scout really!) to take the team over, so 3 managerial changes in 6 months and we still managed to win La Liga (with a chance to equal Madrid’s record haul last year). Not only that, we reached the semi-finals of the two cup competitions we entered.
We suffered from poor squad management and that is why we got beaten so comprehensively by Bayern. However, I really do believe that without the distraction of having so many managerial changes, we would have rotated the squad much more often and the ‘burn-out’ that Xavi et al suffered would not have been so severe.
Madrid did not help us either. Even though they are the most expensive squad ever assembled, even though they have the highest paid manager in football they returned from pre-season in a terrible physical and mental state. No hunger, no passion, lots of infighting, Crynaldo not happy, Mou alienating all the players and staff at the club etc. This ultimately meant (combined with our great start) that Madrid had lost La Liga within the first 8 weeks of the season. Although we showed great character and fought to win every point available (55 out of a possible 57) eventually the lack of competition in La Liga meant that we were ill prepared to take on a Bayern team that were desperate to right the wrongs of a year before.
Shame on anyone who does not respect our achievements this year and a well done to Tito and his staff for overcoming some huge obstacles this year and still bringing home the bacon.