Hello Messi, Messi? Somebody throw him a ball to play with. On the scale of Germany's demolition of Brazil for the up the arse of Barca, Brazil and Madrid loving English commentators.
I’m not sure about that. Messi suffering from being in a poor performing Barcelona team (by their standards) But still putting up great numbers for the season (31 goals and 26 assists in 41 games) whereas Ronaldos managed 37 goals and 7 assists in 46 games. I’d still say Messi is better than Ronaldo but both are on the decline and will be overtaken by Mbappe and others in the coming years.
The money Barca’s wasted in the last few years trying to replace Alves, Neymar Xavi & Iniesta is crazy. Messi, Suarez, Alba, Pique & Busquets all getting old at the same time as well. Think they’re done as serious champions league contenders for a while. Bayern & Liverpool are the two best teams in Europe by some distance for me (I know Atletico Madrid knocked Liverpool out but it was a bit of a fluke). The pace, power & quality they have just blows pure footballing teams like Barca away.
Agree with the last sentence especially. Football evolves, changes, moves on. We're in the era of the high-press, counter-pressing, energy, running you into the ground. And I couldn't be more happier. The pass, pass, pass, tiki taka has been and gone. It's about pace and power. Proper football. If we could only reintroduce proper tackling, it'd be back to the football I grew up on in the late 80's, early 90's. And that's when you appreciate the 'footballers' more. Because they stand out. Whereas the last decade or so has been a footballing paradise, which I'm sure many folk prefer, but not me. I like the idea that graft, running hard over folk, gets reward. We aren't better footballers, but we're a better team. Funnily enough, it's the football that BFC transitioned to a few years ago.
Sad I missed this , always enjoy seeing Barca n Madrid get thrashed.... It doesnt compare though to Germany thrashing Brazil in the World Cup though for shutting the commentators up.
Very harsh. He's playing in a slow, dated side, and certainly doesn't look at his best but he's still managed 35 goals and 24 assists this season. I'm not a Messi fanboy, but saying he's just another good player and far behind Mbappe and Ronaldo is a bit much. His problem is that his teams becoming heavier and heavier for him to carry.
I dont know why they cream themselves over these teams, especially Brazil.. Barca have gone since Xavi, Iniesta etc have finished yet when they go out and spend 350m euros on 4 players the English commentators will be boasting about the Masia again.
How can anybody say messi is the best he’s only ever played for Barca ronaldo has bossed it at every club he’s been at
I think the key point you make is spot on regarding evolution. What tiki taka has given us is a whole generation of players who have to be comfortable on the ball, because coaching at a young age has demanded it. This has now evolved in to the high press but I don't think you can quite equate it to the 80s and 90s, when you watch football back (in part due to better pitches and the removal of dangerous tackling). Football is infinitely higher quality in terms of control and movement - and kids who haven't been coached with "if in doubt, put it out". But, as someone who loved tiki taka, I whole heartedly agree that current iteration is a massive improvement. I love the fact that work rate is a pre-requisite. The joy of watching both the very best at it, like Liverpool and Man City, is such a privilege. But you can also watch us do it too, like the fantastic performance against Brentford. The notion that only the top teams can play a certain style of football is flawed. It can be successful at every level, with a little patience.
It’s subjective. Messi wouldn’t score that many or have as many assists in the PL as the quality of the entire league is better here. You don’t rock up to Burnley on a Tuesday night expecting them to roll over. He’s still a great player though.
I am sure many could see the Barcelona current struggles coming nearly a decade ago. They had one of the best club sides in my lifetime but didn't evolve. They let the likes of Puyol, Iniesta, Xavi etc all get old together instead of replacing them gradually. Now they are paying the price with a team full of guys who wouldn't get in the very top European sides and they keep having to get a no name manager who can't cope with the pressure, as they can't get a big name. Do we know if Messi has sacked another manager yet?
That's a total nonsense argument. If anything Ronaldo has moved to a weaker league. Back when Roanlado was "bossing it" in England Messi and Barcelona were regularly beating our sides in Europe. I don't get the whole Messi or Ronaldo thing, and trying to drag the other one down. They have both been amazing players. Criticising someone for spending his whole career as the best player in one of the biggest clubs in the world just seems odd to me.
They have won la liga 4 of the past 6 seasons. It's been a long time for them in Europe and clearly they aren't as good as the side that was for a few years at the end of the last decade the best in the world. Getting hammered like that is embarrassing but I also think it's worth remembering its because so much is expected of them. Bayern would likely do that to all but Liverpool and Man City from the Premier league. Barca will continue to challenge for and win LaLiga and the Champions league.
That's still worth coaching IMHO and doesn't have to be at the expense of overall footballing quality. In and around your own box with opposition players breathing down your neck is neither the time nor the place for trying something clever - as we saw time and again last season before Sollbauer arrived to show our centrebacks how to do it.
Experience is key. Its knowing the situation, we don't want to see the ball launched aimlessly down the pitch time after time.
Easy to boss it when he constantly moves to the best club in that league. Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus were the stand out teams in their leagues while he was there. No surprise one of the clubs he’s on about moving to next is PSG. Like saying Guardiola is the best manager ever because he’s been at Barcelona, Bayern and Man City
It’s a weird one. There’s a lot of Ronaldo fans who like to make out that he chose to go to Juve to win the league in another country but it’s pretty well publicised that he only left Real because they wouldn’t give him a long contract like Juve did
