FOOTBALL NOW is a brand new present that brings to gentle a few of the international recreation's greatest points, challenges, and debates.
On Sunday Barcelona will play Atletico Madrid, the title holders, in a recreation that normally would have a significant influence on the title race, however not this 12 months. With Xavi's aspect 15 factors behind bitter rivals Actual Madrid, Barcelona has to combat for Champions League qualification. Their solely hope of silverware is the Europa League.
In distinction, the Barcelona girls's crew, often called Barcelona Femeni, is properly on the way in which to their third consecutive league title. After 17 wins from 17 league video games, they had been topped winners of the Spanish Supercup final weekend, beating Atletico Madrid 7-0.
Nevertheless it hasn't at all times been this fashion. The lads's aspect received extra LaLiga's than every other Spanish crew this century, a spell of unprecedented success. Within the golden years beneath supervisor Pep Guardiola and with the assistance of Lionel Messi, the Catalans dominated each domestically and internationally. In 9 years, the La Masia Academy produced a endless stream of extraordinary gamers instilled with the 'tiki-taka' type, which helped them seize 4 Champions Leagues titles.
The place did all of it go unsuitable?
Issues started to unravel when PSG signed Neymar for 222 million euros, a report payment that signified an influence shift in European soccer. If they'd invested properly, this might not have been an issue. Nonetheless, the membership spent over 400 million euros on Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele, and Antoine Griezmann. Few would say these signings provided worth for cash.
Barcelona's exit from the Champions League ended a 17-year run, displaying that even with the world's greatest participant in Lionel Messi, the membership may now not compete on the highest degree.
When the pandemic hit the membership in March 2020, the gamers had been requested to take a 70% pay reduce. After a 12 months and a half, Barcelona couldn't afford to increase Lionel Messi's contract, bringing an finish to his two-decade affiliation with the membership.
Rob Palmer, a LaLiga commentator, talked to Soccer Now about what he believed brought about Barcelona's decline.
"You suppose again to when Pep Guardiola was there, they usually may identify a crew virtually solely of gamers who got here by way of the Academy. They simply received issues unsuitable. They had been promoting their greatest gamers and shopping for inferior gamers. Clearly, behind the scenes, it has been mismanaged, they usually've received so many issues unsuitable from the recruiting of gamers to really placing followers on seats within the stadium."
The rise of Barcelona Femeni
In March, Barcelona Femeni will face Actual Madrid within the Champions League quarter-finals. The match could have report attendance for a girls's recreation after over 85,000 tickets had been offered in solely three days.
Regardless of turning skilled solely 5 years in the past, Barcelona Femeni has already received the Spanish title and a Champions League victory in Gothenburg by which they defeated Chelsea FC 4-0.
Spanish soccer correspondent Andrea Sanchis believes the deal with the ladies's recreation is barely going to develop in Spain.
"For me, the change in girls's soccer has solely simply begun. There's additionally quite a bit to do to professionalise the sport and provides it extra visibility. However indubitably, the truth that 'El Clasico' is being performed on the Nou Camp is a giant step for ladies's soccer."
Extra trophies are on the horizon for Barcelona Femeni. After a turbulent couple of years, the lads, beneath new coach Xavi, search stability. The appointment of a membership legend has galvanised the followers, however can it do the identical for the gamers?
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