Barcelona

[Slimfella]

Playing Getafe in a minute. Love watching this Barcelona team and seem to make a point of tuning in when I can, I don't support them or anything or really care if they win anything, just anappreciation and love watching them play as a fan of football in general.

 

I think the missus will be wanting Getafe to win though, she's always shouting "Get aff"

[dave_min]

I've also gone off Barca as their games are all rather predictable.

[robbo]

think its more the good old fashioned British spirit you boys are exhibiting.

 

we like to laud people to a certain degree, then once that level has been met we dont need to be constantly reminded of how good they are.

 

barca have been this good for a few years now but maintstream tv constantly forces it upon us to the point where were now sick of them and want them to fail because of it.

 

im the same though. as good as barca are, its doing my tits in everyone praising them all the b*stard time

[woohoo]

Robbo is partly right I think. These last few weeks we've seen a Barca backlash and it's a familiar mindset and almost inevitable pattern . That's not to say Barcelona have been undeserving of a backlash - watching them recently has been far from enjoyable what with the theatrics and whinging.

 

That said, they are still the best team around by a considerable distance and they'll revert to being a joy to watch again sooner rather than later.

[robbo]

aye, its not hard to watch barca. they play the best, most attractive football in the truest sense of the word.

 

its the diving and theatrics from guys like busquetts, alves, pedro etc etc

 

even messi is showing he has a nasty streak, but because he instantly apologises when he nails someone the ref will 9/10 times not card him.

 

i dunno, its a strange one, as i say, they can play the very best stuff when they want and would probably beat any greatest XI from history. but theres just something that over the past few weeks has started to irk me and i can only assume its (as RS has highlighted) tall poppy syndrome.

[Bluto10]

the reason i dislike barca, hate is too stong a word i dont really care that much, is because they are overhyped.

 

they arent the best team,....... ever. the best team ever wouldnt rely on poor refereeing decisions to beat chelsea (09), arsenal (2011)and wouldnt lose to man united (08) and inter (2010).

you cant compare older teams to modern ones anyway. for example even liverpools team of the 70/80s is too long ago in footballing terms to compare. most recently ac milan stand out and they are, for me, still lightyears ahead of what this barca side are. man for man, they are better. collectively they are better. and they have achieved more.

 

still barca play pretty pretty football. so in the armchair football world they must be the best ever. yeah?

 

thats the reason i dislike them. but i want them to lose all their big games cause of their playacting cheating players like alves, villa and busquets.

[Pash]

I dislike Barca because they are cheating minks not because they are "the best".

[Bluto10]

This is short and sweet and is also the reason they've been pissing me off these last few weeks.

 

To dislike them because they are "overhyped" (bluto) is to despise the reporting surrounding them and failing to address what it is ABOUT THEM that causes offence. And robbo, you don't want to be admitting to the tall poppy syndrome much as it clearly exists in all walks of life! I reckon woohoo was correct in saying you were partly right. You've alluded to the ugly side of their cynical gamesmanship, something that has only recently shown itself in this, the business end of the season.

 

In years gone by, the Italians, Spanish and Latin Americans were notorious for their cheating and cynical fouling. This appeared to have disappeared largely but it's obviously still there. They had a chance to write greatness in the record books. Much as they have been excellent to watch for large swathes of the season, this element - totally unnecessary in my opinion - of gamesmanship is detracting from a technically excellent side. Mascherano isn't slick enough for their midfield either and being a particularly cheating c**t, it's no surprise to me that his getting a game through Iniesta's injury is coinciding with the degradation on the field.

 

But have a specific reason to dislike them folks. Just because others rate them isn't valid reason enough.

 

 

as i said rock ''dislike'', rather that hate.

ok i could rephrase it and say i "'want them to lose''.

 

the overhyping of barca is hilarous cause they have actually got worse since they flogged toure (replaced with diver/cheater busquets and mascherano) and esp eto (replaced by a 60million loss of cash and a cheater/diver villa).

 

ok as a club i dislike them due to the peddling of their ''more than a business'' ethos.

they play the underdog in the same way celtic are marginalised apparently.

[InTaeEm]

I enjoy watching Barca play, but if you look at football world wide nowadays, how much players are constantly diving and cheating?! Every season without fail something big happens whether its cheating or a big scam of some sort.

 

I tend to think Real Madrid are a lot worse at the whole diving/dirty tackles, and I reckon the only reason Barca are doing it is to get back at them/keep up with them and get the stupid decisions that they are constantly getting for free kicks and penalties.. Plus Barca have wrapped up the league now so they will no doubt go out there way to get the Champins League, especially if it means Real not winning it.

[Dynamo]

I don't like Barcelona, or any other Spanish team for that matter.

[Kilkito]

I'm a bit mystified by this anti-Barca stuff on here. They are a wonderful side, whether they are the best team ever is open to question, but that they are a great side is not. In terms of the cheating/diving accusations, do any of you critics actually believe they are worse than other teams at it? Did you see any cheating or diving when they destroyed Madrid earlier in the season?

To me people just like to criticise for the sake of it. The possession stats Barca have in matches is incredible, has any team dominated possession like that, whether home or away, throughout the years? I agree that there are a couple of their players that cheat, but the rest are no different to hundreds of other players on the continent, and to me this doesn't detract from the team. Someone even mentioned Messi, which is rediculous, the lad gets halved in 2 on a regular basis, and 9 times out of 10 bounces straight back up and walks away, I can't think of a more sinned against player who reacts so well.

On top of all this, Barca are not the establishment club, which makes their sucess all the more remarkable, if anyone doubts this, look into why Di Stefano became a Madrid legend. Mourinhos arguements that Barca are, are embarrassing, and only help to prove that the special one, whilst a fantastic manager is not as great as he thinks.

[Bluto10]

On top of all this, Barca are not the establishment club, which makes their sucess all the more remarkable, if anyone doubts this, look into why Di Stefano became a Madrid legend. Mourinhos arguements that Barca are, are embarrassing, and only help to prove that the special one, whilst a fantastic manager is not as great as he thinks.

 

aye, good one mate.

[Kilkito]

aye, good one mate.

 

thanks

[dave_min]

I dislike Barca as their football is never competitive. It's like watching somebody do a million Keepie uppies. Good for a bit but gets pretty boring.

 

I'd enjoy them more if they become a bit shitter and somebody actually had the slightest chance in hell against them.

[OddJob]

As brilliant as they are, Messi is the only player people really want to see in full flow otherwise it's just "tippy-tappy" which is boring after a while. It certainly isn't the Total Football that the Dutch masters displayed in the 70's that's for sure.

 

Barca were a better team to watch in the 90's with Ronaldo, Figo, Luis Enrique etc In fact they were the best team not to win the league however their football then was superb.

 

I do agree about United - if it is indeed them that plays Barca in the final - being more prepared than the last time out. They actually started that final brilliantly and if they had got that first goal it might have been a better game but once they scored it was all over, even as early as the 10th minute. They proved they could match them the year earlier and they can do it again.

[Pash]

Haha quality pitch invader there! One of the stewards chasing him fell over and face planted!

[zerodon47]

Mascherano is a tube!

 

agreed! same we pedro and busquets!!

 

good night all right round though, another ace barca goal, quality performance fae the ref (think he felt sorry for some madrid players haha), the best team went through and the return of eric abidal some man well done son!!

[Jaws]

Barcelona players rolling about again. It's been unreal.

 

I didn't want Real to go through but to see the players at times with their 90 rolls is sick. Referee has given some strange decisions but has also held his own for the majority of the game.

 

Once again a big game built up by Sky has failed to live up to the Sly expectation. Shock!

 

So can we expect you to be cheering on United in the final (if as presumed they get there)?

[vanderark14]

So can we expect you to be cheering on United in the final (if as presumed they get there)?

 

what date is the final?

 

I'll need to avoid my local like the league that night.

[Jaws]

what date is the final?

 

I'll need to avoid my local like the league that night.

 

Sat 28 May i think.

[vanderark14]

I'd rather the cheats of Barcelona won over those tossers.

 

I'll be cheering on Schalke though in the final.

 

Mon Raul!!!

 

that would be mildly amusing

[Proud9]

Didn't care who won until that decision where Ronaldo was fouled, sort of then the ball carried on through to Higuain and he finished it but ref gave Barca the free kick cause as Ronaldo fell thon c**t Mascherano went down.

 

Should have been a goal or a Real free kick imo,

[robbo]

Didn't care who won until that decision where Ronaldo was fouled, sort of then the ball carried on through to Higuain and he finished it but ref gave Barca the free kick cause as Ronaldo fell thon c**t Mascherano went down.

 

Should have been a goal or a Real free kick imo,

 

agreed. i cant stand madrid but im baffled how the ref gave mascherano a free kick after ronaldo was fouled.

 

if barca could play without mascherano and busquetts the world would be a better place for it. those 2 are the biggest culprits of being able to dish it out but cant take a fraction back. the kind of players youd hate to play against for all the wrong reasons. theyll kick you all day but the second you go near them they fall over and get you carded.

 

adebayor was a law unto himself tonight. lots of hard work and chasing back but jesus wept, he was menace. tanks go through people with more resistance. he was mowing people down allover the pitch.

 

if mourinho could ignore the hype that comes with playing barca and just play to win and win well rather than stink up games and try to nick a goal, el classicos could be the greatest matches in many a year.