Only Chelsea, injuries may stop FC Barcelona from another double
August 22, 2006 by William K. Wolfrum
In humiliating German champions Bayern Munich for the Hans Gamper trophy at the Nou Camp, Barcelona showed two things to be blatantly obvious.
First, the defending La Liga and Champions League titlists are in much stronger form than any soccer team has a right to be at this juncture of the campaign. And second, only a slew of devastating injuries and/or perhaps Chelsea will stand in the squad’s way of repeating its impressive double of 2005.
More juggernaut than team, Barcelona takes the term “loaded” to its highest level. Led by the other-worldly talent of Ronaldinho Gaucho — adequately humbled by a poor showing at the 2006 World Cup — the Spanish side has an offense of the highest quality.
In Ronaldinho, Deco, Samuel Eto’o and Leo Messi, Barca is able to field four of the most inventive offensive forces in football. Add to that a healthy Xavi, Carles Puyol and three brilliant off-season heists – Eidur Gudjohnsen, Gianluca Zambrotta and Lilian Thuram to go along with experienced role players and fans at Nou Camp should expect to be showered with fireworks throughout the campaign.
Real Madrid and Valencia would go into any other season as heavy favorites, but with each team battling new coach and chemistry issues, it appears unlikely they could make a solid run at Barca, where harmony has been as much an advantage as talent. Nonetheless, Madrid’s signings of Fabio Cannavaro, Emerson, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Mahamadou Diarra should help the team stave off some of the on- and off-field embarrassments the Galacticos have suffered the past several seasons.
In the end, however, only mighty Chelsea could keep Joan Laporta’s side from sweeping the Spanish and Champions’ titles, as its talent-laden squad that includes Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko will hopefully force a third consecutive, delicious Champions League showdown with the team from Barcelona.
It is conceivable that ennui could be a foe, as well, but as the season fights through its birth pangs, it seems increasingly likely that Barcelona may well have a team, and a season for the ages.
–WKW
[...] Tevez and Mascherano have now played five games at West Ham. Just a hunch, ut I have a feeling these two stellar players will have things straightened out with the Hammers if you give them a few more weeks. Then maybe Basile can find a reason to advise Leo Messi to leave Barcelona, or some other equally stupid and hysterical reason. [...]
[...] Ronaldinho Gaucho may not win European Player of the Year following a rather dismal effort in the World Cup (look for Theirry Henry to add that piece of hardware to his collection), but the Brazilian’s brilliant bicycle-kick goal to put the finishing touch on Barcelona’s 4-0 victory over Villareal on Saturday showed once again that we are in the presence of greatness. [...]
[...] The German side was coming off an impressive Champions League victory over Chelsea, and was sitting atop the German Bundesliga. For their part, the men from Barcelona had been playing sloppily of late, fighting for a tie against Levante in a game that saw them fall from the top in La Liga, as well as still missing injured stars Leo Messi and Samuel Eto’o. [...]
[...] It has thus far been a tough season for Barcelona, as injuries and ennui have sapped the team of its previous form. [...]