In Barca vs Sevilla match, the Portuguese, officaially earned the number 2 shirt.
Barca fans now have the Right Back position settled. It was not automatic. He grew. Took lectures and fully graduated. We saw him take those baby steps and almost gave up on him. But like a beautiful lady, we all saw his beauty tonight.
It couldn’t be hidden.
Now what do we do with the man in the Number 20 shirt, Sergi Roberto, the Catalan?
He got into the game tonight playing his natural spot. As a graduate of La Masia, Roberto was groomed to be a 10. But Messi happened. And Roberto isn’t one of such players you want to graduate and go work else where.
He isn’t the kind of player that will look for work. He’s a fine Spanish midfielder like all the fine Spanish midfielders scattered across the football globe. He is a Silva, a Mata, but not a Messi.
So Barca couldn’t let him go. He was special. But soccer is about age and time. So Barca either have him or they let him blossom somewhere else.
Barca decided to have him and let him blossom from the Right Back. A gap, until very recently was left vacant after the retirement of Dani Alves.
Until this said night, he was the first choice Right Back. Barca wouldn’t trust a Semedo with that part of the pitch in a serious competitive match.
But things changed tonight. And that means we have some surplus players in the squad.
We must now say goodbye to Dennis Suarez and Rafinha.
They have become surplus.
And with the way Dembele played tonight. No Barca fan will miss him if the club decide to cash in on him this January Transfer Window.
Perhaps that officially starts the preparation for the prodigal feast. The coming of Neymar.
We can juggle that spot of Athur Melo with Roberto. Only because we don’t want to give up on the number 20. Because I have never seen a midfielder like Arthur since the exit of Xavi.
He plays midfield the way it should be played. Rotate, turn, touch, one-two-three touches, collect-and-give, open-control-create space, eye far, eye near…football made easy. Not fight, just use your head.
Which is why I usually can’t stand when Jose Mourinho puts Mata on the Bench. Which is why I was overjoyed seeing the return of Man City’s KDB today. And by the way is anyone still doutbing the fact that Pep is going to win the EPL one more time again?
Look around. The rest teams are tired. Even Liverpool. Salah scored today, but he seem to have forgotten how to play football. He had series of wrong passes and series of final touches inside the box 18 today. Poor lad. He’s not the same again.
Sevilla was Messimirezed.
And that is costing Barca a lot. Messi is ruled out for three weeks. And I am predicting he won’t take all the three weeks. However, this is a litmus test for Barca and coach Verlvade.
And opportunity to try Malcom. An opportunity for Dembele to show he is ready to be a true Barca. An opportunity for Luis Suarez to have the pichichi this season. An opportunity to prove that Barca is more than just Messi.
What’s the worth of an El Clasico without a Messi?
Ter Stegen, Barca goal stopper was a beast tonight. And the video clip of his superhuman saves is the metaphorical message the German National team needs.
Time for the young lad to come in. Usually, that starts with sacking the old manager. Neuer and the old German players may have to give way to the new talents.
Mourinho put in a good fight tonight. Chelsea were caught napping. If Mourinho wasn’t Jose in the last 15mins of the match. If he wasn’t so much about “locking up” and “closing shop” maybe he would have made it goal number three or four before the second goal of Chelsea. The boys of Sarri would have been shocked today.
Real Madrid continues their free fall. No one will be surprised if we wake up to see Antonio Conte or Arsene Wenger in charge of Real Madrid. Julen Lopetegui has overspent his lucks. He is living on a borrowed battery life, if you ask me.
Dude doesn’t even know how to line up a formation.
What happens if Madrid doesn’t make top 4 this season?
And the fans are all screaming, ‘Bring Back Our Madrid!”
Tough time for Floretino Perez.
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