Lessons to be learned
Maybe this is just the reality check that Barcelona needed, at the right time in the season.
That was an unacceptable performance from a team who expects to go far in the Champions League.
The first ten minutes looked like a manifestation of intent. Barcelona were up against the champions, and dominating every aspect of the game. Lamine Yamal, who some feel should have won the Ballon d’Or, looked every bit the world’s best player.
Then they fell asleep. It looked like they forgot the significance of the game they were playing in, and what was at stake.
PSG on the other hand gathered their bearings, and gradually managed their way back into the game. By the final whistle, there was no doubt that the Parisians were the better team, and the deserved winners.
This was a PSG without the starting forwards who brought them glory a year ago. No Ousmane Dembele, the reigning and rightful Ballon d’Or winner, no Désiré Doué, and no Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The best player on the field wasn’t Lamine Yamal, but Nuno Mendes, even if he was lucky to stay on after fouling the Barca star when on a booking.
The difference wasn’t talent. It could be argued that Barcelona had the advantage in that department, but attitude. That’s the serious lesson that Barcelona must take from the game.
You don’t win big games by accident, you win them with desire and focus.
Keep in mind that a year ago, PSG had a terrible start to the tournament. It wasn’t until December that they turned things around.
The problem for Barcelona fans will be that, when it comes to the Champions League at least, we’re still learning to trust that the team is beyond the old days of shrinking when the moment gets big.
This was a team loss. The players started the game with fire, pressing like machines, and if they were more locked in, they could have put away PSG early on.
There’s enough blame to go around however.
Hansi Flick, who rightfully has earned praise as a top in game manager, made some curious calls.
Should Lamine have played until the end? Was it right to take off Pedri and Gerard Martin late in the game in favor of two players just getting back from injury? Did he wait too long by waiting until the 72nd minute to make the first substitution? These are just a few questions of quite a few that you could ask on the day.
The best thing is to learn from the loss with humility. No matter how good the world thinks Barcelona are, the truth is that they still have a lot to prove.
If they want to be a contenders again in this competition, they need to take seriously where they went wrong in this game, because PSG is the crème de la crème, and to be the best you have to beat the best.
Barcelona have a tough upcoming league phase. This was a bad one to lose given the opportunity to build momentum.
It’s up to them now to learn and grow.
Just ask PSG, this tournament isn’t about how you start, it’s how you finish.
If Barcelona do make it to the end, it could very well be the men from Paris, once again, who are standing in their way. If that day comes, they’ll have to have a much better attitude and mentality. The kind that you need to win championships.
Category: General Sports
