Barcelona 2010/2011 seems so clearly better than 2008/2009 when I watch both play.

[matbezlima]

Barcelona 2010/2011 seems so clearly better than 2008/2009 when I watch both play. Compare the 6-2 with 5-0. The 6-2 shows a team with some moments of truly alien football, but the sharpness and confidence of Barcelona's play is lacking in comparison to the 5-0. Barcelona hoofs the ball far more in the 6-2 and also misplaces passes far more often when under pressure. The confidence of playing from the back, circulate the ball and passing it through tight spaces is lacking in comparison with the 5-0. This despite how in the 5-0 Real pressed Barcelona very high and very intensely far, far, far more often than in the 6-2, which makes the many moments in which Barcelona gets out of the pressure all the more impressive. Real was also a better team than the 2009 Real. Barcelona 2010-2011 were overall significantly more fluent in their passing.

The UCL 2009 final vs. the UCL 2011 final show this well too. Barcelona's performance, confidence, control, precision and creation of chances blows 2009 out of the water. 2009 was a good performance in which Barcelona controlled the game well and dominated it from the 10th minute onwards. 2011 was just destruction, specially in the second half. While it's true that the United 2011 side was far worse than the 2009 one, it is still very hard to imagine that Barcelona 2011 would have less than 60% of ball possession against anyone, much less only 51%, the Barcelona possession in the 2009 final. Guardiola sees the 2011 UCL final performance as the performance in a UCL final that he always dreamed of.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Agree with this completely, was talked about recently in another thread somewhere.

 

[KingLeo10]

I wouldn't back 2010-2011 Barca to beat 1988-1989 Milan more often than not. I would back 08/09 to do it more often than not. They were just the most complete team I've ever seen, even if aesthetically 10-11 hit the highest peak.

For me, Xavi in 08/09 was even more dominant than Messi was in 10/11.

 

[matbezlima]

I wouldn't back 2010-2011 Barca to beat 1988-1989 Milan more often than not. I would back 08/09 to do it more often than not. They were just the most complete team I've ever seen, even if aesthetically 10-11 hit the highest peak.

For me, Xavi in 08/09 was even more dominant than Messi was in 10/11.

The 10/11 team seems clearly more unplayable, precise, fluent, controlling and dominating of their adversaries when I watch their games than 08/09.

 

[gasgas]

I loved 2008/9 team better.

A lot of variety

2014/15 is second

 

[Birdy]

Barcelona 2010/2011 seems so clearly better than 2008/2009 when I watch both play. Compare the 6-2 with 5-0. The 6-2 shows a team with some moments of truly alien football, but the sharpness and confidence of Barcelona's play is lacking in comparison to the 5-0. Barcelona hoofs the ball far more in the 6-2 and also misplaces passes far more often when under pressure. The confidence of playing from the back, circulate the ball and passing it through tight spaces is lacking in comparison with the 5-0. This despite how in the 5-0 Real pressed Barcelona very high and very intensely far, far, far more often than in the 6-2, which makes the many moments in which Barcelona gets out of the pressure all the more impressive. Real was also a better team than the 2009 Real. Barcelona 2010-2011 were overall significantly more fluent in their passing.

The UCL 2009 final vs. the UCL 2011 final show this well too. Barcelona's performance, confidence, control, precision and creation of chances blows 2009 out of the water. 2009 was a good performance in which Barcelona controlled the game well and dominated it from the 10th minute onwards. 2011 was just destruction, specially in the second half. While it's true that the United 2011 side was far worse than the 2009 one, it is still very hard to imagine that Barcelona 2011 would have less than 60% of ball possession against anyone, much less only 51%, the Barcelona possession in the 2009 final. Guardiola sees the 2011 UCL final performance as the performance in a UCL final that he always dreamed of.

That's a spot on comment!
The stability and machine-like precision of the 10/11 cannot be compared to the 08/09. 08/09 team was maybe more unpredictable in terms of individual moves, given the presence of Eto'o and Henry as well, whereas 10/11 was computer-like
The biggest regret though is that both 09/10 and 11/12 teams deserved better: 09/10 was doomed by wrong transfers, had Pep kept Eto'o or bought Villa 1 year earlier instead of Ibra, and another CL was awaiting. 11/12 deservedly lost LaLiga, but losing CL to mediocre sides was a crime against football

 

[matbezlima]

https://theathletic.co.uk/1228011/2...re-state-of-the-art-and-then-they-got-better/

Michael Cox wrote this wonderful article in why Barcelona 2011 collectively was far superior than in 2009.

 

[Zebulun]

Nah Fam, as much as the 2011 team was silky smooth and dominant. the 2009 team had everything the 2011 team had, with more grit, fight and will. basically it was an unstoppable monster. IMO it was the most complete barca team.

 

[matbezlima]

Nah Fam, as much as the 2011 team was silky smooth and dominant. the 2009 team had everything the 2011 team had, with more grit, fight and will. basically it was an unstoppable monster. IMO it was the most complete barca team.

The 2009 team was not as smooth, controlling, polished, confident and fluent on the ball.

 

[Sailor Mars]

The reputation of the players on the 2009 team make them seem much better than how they actually played.
2011 was far far superior.

On paper the 2009 team seems better, but when you actually watched the two teams play, 2011 was far better.

Henry was clearly in decline in 2009 . Yaya Toure wasn't what he later became in Man City.
Also Iniesta, Pique, Busquets, and Messi were clearly much better in 2011 compared to 2009.

 

[JohnN]

2011 Barca was dream like football. 2009 wasn't at the technical and tactical peak yet but had more grit. Each to his own. I likef 2011 version better.

 

[serghei]

2011 Barca was dream like football. 2009 wasn't at the technical and tactical peak yet but had more grit. Each to his own. I likef 2011 version better.

Yea, I guess I'm in the minority, but while the other Barca teams were amazing and a pleasure to watch, the 2011 team was just something else, the difference is consistent (especially compared with 2014-15). Once again, proof that titles alone aren't the be all and do all. Technically, the 2010-11 team is the least successful of the three.

 

[FC B]

Such a pitty arguably the best and most spectacular team ever couldn't win 3 CL trophies back to back 2009-2011 and a dull not even the best of the competition Real Madrid managed to do it 2016-2018... Refereeing and luck played a huge role in this imo.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Such a pitty arguably the best and most spectacular team ever couldn't win 3 CL trophies back to back 2009-2011 and a dull not even the best of the competition Real Madrid managed to do it 2016-2018... Refereeing and luck played a huge role in this imo.

Wouldn't worry about it. Ours was by far the better period. We dominated RM during our success winning more or less all the trophies and during their success still won trophies and smashed them in a few Clasico's

 

[FC B]

Wouldn't worry about it. Ours was by far the better period. We dominated RM during our success winning more or less all the trophies and during their success still won trophies and smashed them in a few Clasico's

Sure but the history will only record trophies and rm fans will always brag with "their" triple CL in a row performance and thus forever say they were the best team/club in recent history too which is as false as hell since Barca 2009-2011 was way better than any rm side I've ever seen including 2016-2018 team.