Mateu Alemany

[JamDav1982]

False.

Barca can easily have a squad to compete with any of them and are not worse than Real etc.

City are the only ones would be difficult to match because of Pep and where they are at currently.

Barca dont need hundreds of millions to compete in CL at all.

 

[serghei]

Yes, yes, and if we have a good draw and some easier last 16 opponent like some Brugges or some team like that, we'll be in the last 8 in CL also. Being better in CL is gonna be a big objective next season.

But the signings are going to be aimed at the main objective of next season, which is gonna be again league-focused. Retain the title and make the last 8 in CL. Messi, Gundogan, extenting the youngsters like Gavi and Balde, gonna come out with a much improved squad if we do that.

 

[JamDav1982]

Yes, yes, and if we have a good draw and some easier last 16 opponent like some Brugges or some team like that, we'll be in the last 8 in CL also. Being better in CL is gonna be a big objective next season.

But the signings are going to be aimed at the main objective of next season, which is gonna be again league-focused. Retain the title.

No,, Barca would go toe to toe with any of them and only City be a clear fav as would be over every other side.

Barca beat Real in league by double digits and beat them in four of last six games.

Barca are not as far away as made out.

Same nonsense said about the league at start of season.

No signins will be made with 'league focus' whatever that even means.

 

[ajnotkeith]

First, we can't challenge for CL until the financial side is sorted and we can spend like other clubs. Not just one summer, but many summers in a row. Don't think that the other clubs that spend big last summer like Chelsea, or United, are gonna suddenly stop spending like we will.

Barca isn't Sevilla. At this point, this season there was a distinct lack of goals noted. Dembele who is supposedly our best player some say has like 3-4 goals in La Liga. We simply don't score enough. We need players who can create chances and players who can back goals in 20s. 20-25 goals a season at a minimum. No young player can do that.

We are simply in a position were we are already overachieved this season. Once you win the league, you can't propose next season to challenge for the title and finish top 3 or some shit like that. We simply need to roll with it and aim high because we started on a high note.

Need to improve our goalscoring potential in La Liga or else we're not gonna win it again. Madrid will not have another season like this. They always come back after a shit campaign, with more motivation and more focus. Messi signing is aimed exactly at that. The club took notice of the low scoring stats this season.

Inter don't have a pot to piss in and are probably getting to the final. I don't buy we need a billion of investment to challenge for the CL, we are not that far off it now if the right signings are made.

Chelsea also won it with a much worse squad than we have, Liverpool won it too without spending a lot. In fact, the biggest oil teams (City and PSG) haven't won any. Money clearly isn't that relevant.

 

[serghei]

Inter don't have a pot to piss in and are probably getting to the final. I don't buy we need a billion of investment to challenge for the CL, we are not that far off it now if the right signings are made.

Chelsea also won it with a much worse squad than we have, Liverpool won it too without spending a lot. In fact, the biggest oil teams (City and PSG) haven't won any. Money clearly isn't that relevant.

Yes, they can make it to the final, but got majorly lucky. Shouldn't even have made it past groups if not for some major luck. If we get majorly lucky we can do the same next season. CL depends a lot on draws and luck, especially if you don't have an elite side.

 

[JamDav1982]

Barca would not be 2nd favs if drew Real in CL.

Despite their recent history in it.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Yes, they can make it to the final, but got majorly lucky. Shouldn't even have made it past groups if not for some major luck.

I think that's pretty unfair. They put out two great teams in Porto and Benfica and were drawn into the group of death.

But anyway, I agree with you in one aspect, our team is more set up for league play than knockouts. We are very system based and robotic and lack that attacking flair you need in those knockout games.

 

[serghei]

I think that's pretty unfair. They put out two great teams in Porto and Benfica and were drawn into the group of death.

But anyway, I agree with you in one aspect, our team is more set up for league play than knockouts. We are very system based and robotic and lack that attacking flair you need in those knockout games.

Group of death is not the same if you have to face Pique and Garcia. Been over this.

Luck plays out in many ways. Like facing a team with their entire defense injured in the key match.

Then getting Porto, and Benfica. Two teams from the 5th best league with all due respect.

 

[JamDav1982]

The teams with best defences have tended to do better in Europe not worse.

Sure as fuck when Barca were scoring goals and conceding a ton it was defensive side that let Barca down.

Too many errors made by Xavi in Europe this season and last despite some injuries.

 

[JamDav1982]

Group of death is not the same if you have to face Pique and Garcia. Been over this.

Luck plays out in many ways. Like facing a team with their entire defense injured in the key match.

Then getting Tottenham, and Benfica, who are not at all elite in any way.

They faced Pique and Garica with Busi sole DM as that is team Xavi chose and left FDJ, Balde, Alba etc on the bench.

Inter had injuries also.

 

[serghei]

People need to make a distinction between challenging for CL and making it far in CL. These two are not the same. Many teams get far in CL without ever being favorites because simply they made the most out of their chance.

We can get far in CL too, it's just that based on our team value we should not be expected to do so.

To challenge for CL is impossible at this stage. To make it farther next season is for sure a major objective.

 

[ajnotkeith]

The teams with best defences have tended to do better in Europe not worse.

Sure as fuck when Barca were scoring goals and conceding a ton it was defensive side that let Barca down.

Too many errors made by Xavi in Europe this season and last despite some injuries.

For some reason, clearly, the defense is nowhere near as stable in Europe as it is in Liga. Part of that is sometimes 433 being used when the 4-box has always been more effective, but still, there is something else.

Whilst in Liga we are hugely overperforming the xGA, in Europe we underperform it a lot and most of all concede a shit ton of goals. Teams play through us easy whilst in the league they can't get near the goal.

It's weird and hard to explain, even considering the increase of quality.

 

[ajnotkeith]

People need to make a distinction between challenging for CL and making it far in CL. These two are not the same. Many teams get far in CL without ever being favorites because simply they made the most out of their chance.

We can get far in CL too, it's just that based on our team value we should not be expected to do so.

You always have a chance when you are in it. If Barca were in the semis like Inter were of course we would have a real chance.

City been favourites every year since Pep won the first title and yet never won it. It is a competition where anything can happen.

 

[JamDav1982]

People need to make a distinction between challenging for CL and making it far in CL. These two are not the same. Many teams get far in CL without ever being favorites because simply they made the most out of their chance.

We can get far in CL too, it's just that based on our team value we should not be expected to do so.

To challenge for CL is impossible at this stage. To make it farther next season is for sure a major objective.

To challenge for CL is far from impossible.

It is if dont learn from mistakes and keep making same ones over and over and never dealing with players who fuck up time and again.

Then compound it by making poor signings like huge money on a 34 year old strker that is equivilant to 100m player on 10m a week.

 

[serghei]

You always have a chance when you are in it. If Barca were in the semis like Inter were of course we would have a real chance.

City been favourites every year since Pep won the first title and yet never won it. It is a competition where anything can happen.

Sure, and this is why you need to make sure that you are in the knockouts. From there, almost anything can happen. With one exception. The team that wins it doesn't do it by accident.

So you can get close, but bar some major element of huge luck, you're not going to win the CL unless you are a great side.