The ghost of Champions League past: Can Barcelona finally shed their demons in Europe

The mind plays strange games, and it is not surprising that centuries of work has gone into understanding the same. Fascinatingly, the mentality of a group works queerly similar to that of an individual at many junctures.

Barcelona’s stance with the UEFA Champions League, in a similar analogy, can be compared to a relationship gone sour. The only difference – its mental impact resonates not only in the minds of players but also of millions of supporters across the globe.

A series of unsurmountable blows

All it takes for even the most rosy relationship to crumble and fall apart is one traumatic experience. The budding doubt grows with every subsequent blow, creating an innate fear against the very element one was fascinated by not too long ago.

Barcelona and the Champions League are just the same. For years, the Catalans dominated the competition and were outright favourites to progress deep in the event.

The Lionel Messi-lead side was used to magical moments, and fairytale comebacks and saw the highest of peaks winning two trebles including one sextuple.

But then came Roma. An anguish-filled night where the team’s hopes in the competition came crashing down traumatisingly. A 4-1 lead evaporated, and Kostas Manolas’ goal in the 82nd minute sent the city into shock.

A year later, the team once again led 3-0 over the mighty Liverpool after the first leg in Spain. Surely, another collapse was not on the cards – or so it appeared until a corner was taken quickly and some horrendous defending brought a 4-0 defeat.

Shot to the chest. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

A game against Liverpool broke the already fragile spine of Barcelona.

Jordi Alba’s emotional outburst at half-time when the game was still in hand is widely laughed at, but it simply goes to show how the defeat was not to Liverpool but to the team’s own mental demons.

Having collapsed twice in two years to painful comeback defeats, Barcelona faced the ultimate humiliation in Lisbon…

Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/the-ghost-of-champions-league-past-can-barcelona-finally-shed-their-demons-in-europe/

Author : Adithya Eshwarla

Publish date : 2024-04-16 15:10:01

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