Back in July the boardroom at Barcelona was in disarray, a group of supporters had issued a vote of no confidence in the directors of the football club and in particular at the president Joan Laporta.
The club had seen another season without winning silverware, some of the players were guilty of lacking discipline and being disruptive influences and Laporta’s choice to replace fans favourite Frank Rijkaard, with former player Josep Guardiola, was seen as the final straw.
Guardiola’s first task as coach was a real tough one, identifying key players Ronaldinho, Deco and Eto’o as the club troublemakers and making them available on the transfer market. Only one of those players, Samuel Eto’o stayed with the club, despite rumours linking him with europe’s top clubs.
When La Liga kicked off in August all eyes were on Barcelona and despite playing some nice football they were beaten by newly promoted Numancia 1-0. Their second game ended in a 1-1 draw and it already looked like deja vu for the Catalan side and their chances for this season.
Since then Barcelona have gone from strength to strength, Samuel Eto’o is playing the football of his life and is already top scorer in La Liga with fourteen goals. They sit comfortably on top of Ligue one, six points clear of second place Villareal, but more importantly a massive nine points clear of rivals Real Madrid.
Barcelona are currently in scintillating form, having scored 44 goals in 14 games. Over the season so far this is easily the best performing team in Europe, combining sexy football, clinical finishing and of course Lionel Messi, surely the best footballer on the planet, mesmerising the opposition.
This weekend saw Barcelona demolish third place team Valencia 4-0, with Thierry Henry hitting a hat trick and at long last looking close to his Arsenal best.
1 comment so far
1 Dave Stopher // Dec 8, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I think that you are right Barca were nearly about to explode now they look like the team to beat!!!