I agree with this,players were low on batteries (but I don't agree it is a motivation thing) along less talent.
They needed a top notch coaching and VDB got out coached today. It was bound to happen
I just think that 4 out of 5 people (my estimation) lose their motivation in something they do once when they do achieve their goals.
If you want to climb Mt Everest, you will do everything you can in that 1st attempt.
But once you get on top, 2nd time won't be that special.
In your 1st attempt, even if you'll face bad weather, huge problems and similar, you won't give up, no matter how dangerous it is.
But in the 2nd attempt, if something bad happens, you'll give up more easily and say: ok, we'll return next year then, this time the weather was too dangerous...
I am not sure whether the analogy is too good, but you get my point.
And ok, there are always people who want to repeat their success 100s of times and who are not losing their motivation once they achieve their goals.
But majority of people will lose (at least some) motivation after achieving goals. Especially if you achieve it few times already.
I am not sure which player said this, I think that it was Zidane, Raul. It was someone from Galacticos in early 2000s.
A player said something like: when I was fighting for my first CL title, I was ready to die on a pitch and go with my head there where other players go with their feet (in dangerous duels).
But now, 10 years later, after a few of trophies won, I have to admit that it is not the same anymore.
I mean, I still want to win trophies and I am glad when we win trophies, but it is hard to run, fight and bleed as equally as in my first CL final 10 years ago.
Again, I am not 100% sure which player said that, but I remember reading it, thinking about it and remembering it a lot of times in recent years.
So, I personally don't agree with that part: older players can get motivated again, they just need a new coach.
Imo, they can slightly recharge their batteries (for example from 20% to 50%), but they'll never be on 100% again, like they were in their first CL campaign.
That doesn't mean though that we should kick all older players and that we should constantly look for fresh-blood-players.
But once when you have too many players with their motivation batteries on 20-30% (an example), you can only go down from that point.
Imo, Spain is already at that point, and sadly, Barca is also already there or we will come there very soon with a core which won too many trophies.
