It’s hard to be upset with this Barcelona team.
There have been two big disappointments this season, both at the hands of Atlético Madrid, but Hansi Flick’s Blaugrana never give up, and they never stop entertaining.
Flick drew it up perfectly to start the second leg. You can’t argue with his starting lineup, the tactics, or the mentality of his players.
It was a bit of a surprise to see Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski dropped to the bench, and to see Gavi get the nod in the midfield, but those choices explain exactly what Flick was going for. Maximum intensity above all else, the core ingredient you need when you are looking to make a comeback.
Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Fermín López were the right forwards for the job. Dani Olmo didn’t have his best game, but from a tactical point of view, his inclusion was essential.
Gavi was at his warrior best, perhaps even outplaying Pedri, an almost impossible feat.
Lamine may just have taken his game to an ever higher level. This was a bona fide possessed superstar performance when it mattered most. More Michael Jordan than Lebron James if you ask me. On offense and defense, he set the tempo and carried his team on his shoulders.
If Fermin’s diving header goes in, Atleti are looking at a possible blow out. From the moment the blood started running down his face, the unstoppable momentum that Barcelona were building came to a stop.
In the end, Barcelona lived and died by their identity. The comeback was more than possible because of the aggressive attacking football they’ve become known for, and the comeback was extinguished in two key moments that highlight their biggest vulnerabilities.
Ademola Lookman’s goal that put out Barca’s fire was once again made possible by a deep run behind a high backline. The foul from behind that got Eric Garcia sent off was a hard to believe case of déjà vu all over again.
Even before the red card, however, Barcelona were starting to slow down. If I’m critical of Hansi Flick in any way in this game, I think his in game management could have been a bit more proactive. Frenkie de Jong was needed earlier on, and perhaps it should have been Olmo making way instead of Fermín.
Maybe it’s neither here nor there. At that point, Barca was chasing the game.
The opportunity to win it was when they had a chance to press their advantage in the first half.
One thing we know, the Champions League is cruel, and it certainly doesn’t always reward the teams that play the best football.
For that reason, Barcelona, and their beautifully stubborn insistence on playing the game with poetry instead of prose, will always be at a disadvantage.
Could they have been better, and gone farther?
It’s hard to overlook the patterns that continue from the past, but if you judge them based on the two quarterfinal games against Atleti alone, in my heart I think they were unlucky this time around.
It’s heartbreaking, but I’m grateful for the show.
One thing’s for sure, with Hansi Flick in charge, I can’t wait to see what these incredible stewards of the game have in store for us next year.
Football needs Barcelona, so let’s hope this is just the beginning of their story.