Barcelona vs Liverpool – Champions League Semi-FinalCamp Nou - Barcelona 01/05/2019
Semi-finals, 1st leg - 14:00
Barcelona (ESP)
UEFA ranking: 2
This season: P10 W7 D3 L0 F23 A6
Top scorer: Lionel Messi (10)
Last semi-final: 2014/15, W5-3 v Bayern München
European Cup semi-final record: W7 L8
European Cup best: winners x5 (1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015)
Top #UCLfantasy scorer: Lionel Messi (64 points)
Liverpool (ENG)
UEFA ranking: 11
This season: P10 W6 D1 L3 F18 A9
Top scorer: Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah (4)
Last semi-final: 2017/18, W7-6 v Roma
European Cup semi-final record: W8 L2
European Cup best: winners x5 (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005)
Top #UCLfantasy scorer: Mohamed Salah (49 points)
Referee
Björn Kuipers (NED)
(Courtesy 4Pool)Assistant referees
Mario Diks (NED)
Erwin Zeinstra (NED)
Video Assistant Referee
Danny Makkelie (NED)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee
Pol van Boekel (NED)
Fourth official
Tasos Sidiropoulos (GRE)
Kuipers has had 3 of our matches over the years:
11/09 Debreceni VSC 0-1 Liverpool FC
12/14 Liverpool FC 1-1 FC Basel
8/17 Hoffenheim 1-2 Liverpool FC
His 6 Barcelona matches:
9/09 FC Barcelona FC 2-0 Dynamo Kyiv
2/10 VfB Stuttgart 1-1 FC Barcelona
4/12 FC Barcelona 3-1 AC Milan
4/13 FC Barcelona 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain
9/15 AS Roma 1-1 FC Barcelona
4/17 FC Barcelona 0-0 Juventus
IntroductionHello RAWK, we rise again today to witness Liverpool FC progress to what may be another European final. This is the kind of trend we believed might happen when Jurgen Klopp was announced as manager back in 2015 (check this out this gifsteria thread in all its glory -
https://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=323318.0 – all 318 pages worth). With 10 straight European tie victories under his belt; our gaffer has given us “more than” reason to believe and to celebrate.
Ten European Ties – Ten Victories2016-17Augsburg
Manchester United
Borussia Dortmund
Villarreal
2017-2018Hoffenheim (pre-qualify)
FC Porto
Manchester City
Roma
2019Bayern Munich
FC Porto
Even the most optimistic supporter might have had their head checked to believe we would be on the brink of three European finals in four years. The dividends of the club’s hard work continue to gain momentum each year as we have built a substantial body of work. All of the pistons are pumping in the right direction. Edwards, Hogan, Moore, Klopp and staff are a formidable group. Not only are we a serious contender for the best team in England but Europe too.
Beating Barcelona and adding them to our defeated list will be no small feat. They have dominated the Spanish league all season and have weapons all over the pitch, able to play in and out of tight spaces easily.
And while Ashley Barnes did not slay the sky blue oil dragon Sunday, we are reminded by our beloved gaffer that the journey together is just as important as the outcome. Meaning, this team would not be contending this year in such a powerful way on so many fronts without many of the painful experiences of the past few years. Now, I am not saying we had to endure some of the peculiar aspects of this pain in particular (i.e. Salah’s injury, goalkeeping issues, only a few MF options).
But, I am saying we are just getting started.
Klopp is correct in his leadership, but like most supporters, I am vexed with the possibility of coming up empty. Sir Thomas More reminds us though:
“You would not abandon ship in a storm just because you could not control the winds.”Putting our stuff aside for a moment, we cannot pretend that “the Bluegrauna” are strangers to coming up empty in Europe either.
Roma hit the Catalans with a haymaker in the second leg in last years’ quarters and it has been almost 5 years since they were in a final. They do have the world’s greatest player, and two of our ex’s “mean-girls” known for mesmerizing finishes, sharp teeth, and bad backs. Let us not lose the bigger perspective. Barcelona is not the same team that ran roughshod over Europe a decade previously. They are the best team in Spain, but they have weaknesses we can punish, and insecurities in which we can exploit.
However, even as I write this OP, in mind’s eye, I see my old coaching mentor saying:
“John, there are three kinds of stupid. Don’t follow in the footsteps of stupidity!
1. Don’t foolishly overlook an opponent with confident ignorance
2. Don’t lead with an obsessive lack of control or (influence others to do so)
3. Avoid absentminded scattered thought that disorganizes everyone in its path
In other words, give credit where it is due, keep it to the facts, and stay on task.
I think the counterpoint to this by Sir Thomas More, sums these points up nicely. There is a fine line between stupidity and optimism
“Occupy your mind with good thoughts, or the enemy will fill them bad ones”
“More” than Words
On the surface, Barcelona and Liverpool have a great deal in common.
Both clubs and cities consider themselves different from the larger colonialized culture in which they inhabit. The phrase “we are not English, we are Scouse” could be just as easily replaced with the idea of not being Spanish, but Catalan.
Secondly, the passion for each club in their cultures, cities, and local areas drives the economy and social strata. Each market their brands as being more than a club or this means more. To some extent, these are just words used to indoctrinate. But, when you have lived in these cities, been in the choir singing the gospel of King Kenny or witnessing miracles by the savior Lionel Messi, all while praying to the bluegrauna/red and white kop soccer gods, it is hard to argue with "more". It does mean more and both of these two giants are more than clubs as witnessed below.
“More than a Club” (Barcelona FC) vs. “This Means More” (Liverpool FC) 
<![CDATA[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/YhqiSO_UFxg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/YhqiSO_UFxg</a>]]><![CDATA[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/CK2BgRfwILE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/CK2BgRfwILE</a>]]>"More than Words" by the Boston band Extreme would be appropriate here to pay fealty to the soccer and music gods pre-match. However, not this time. Let us keep it to the facts and stay on task. Don’t be stupid trend.
Possibly the biggest similarity between the two clubs is the level or world-class football being played on their home turf. Neither team has lost much in the last few years, making this home/away tie mouth-wateringly good.
Battle of the Brazilians - More Than Nothing
One of the most interesting aspects of this match-up is how even this tie appears to be in terms of individual technical talent and group tactics. In one corner, we have a left-footed maestro-genius pulling the strings of a hugely successful attacking team. In the other red corner, we have our scouse trident, each scoring in double figures and contributing to the offensive onslaught, whether scoring or not. Our defending takes a back-seat to no one in Europe and Barcelona are successful defending through keeping possession and winning it back quickly (starving their opponents of the ball).
However, one imagines a lighting fast game, ebbing and flowing like a Samba dance we have yet to see. Truly, these two fixtures could go in either direction with a dizzying array of possibilities. And my thesis is that the Brazilians on each side will be the determining factor (not because they are Brazilians, but because of the crucial positions/roles each play) with the exception of Rafina and Malcolm.
Will we see the resurgence of Coutinho? Will the ghost of Neymar continue to haunt his former team? How will Arthur hold up under the pressure and pace from Liverpool’s midfield? How much help will Barcelona get from their non-Messi attackers? Questions to be answered.
For the reds, will Bobby be Bobby? How much has he recovered from his “small tear”? Will Fabinho be called upon to stymie the left footed pied piper of Catalonia in the middle of the park? Will Alisson Becker be the final piece for us in a long journey?
Maybe this is more nothingness?
(Mas Que Nada)
<![CDATA[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/zeBDoNBNMro" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/zeBDoNBNMro</a>]]>Operation Gut PunchHonestly, this write-up OP has been a huge challenge. First, our family is in the final phases of moving across the country.
Second, there are so many areas one could delve into when considering this specific semi-final. There are so many possible memes or topics to analyze (probably many not listed here).
- South American-Liverpool-Barcelona portal in the transfer markets
- Usual Bullshit Messi & Klopp redemption stories
- Van Dijk FPA player of year vs Messi showdown (boring)
- Historical teams, comparisons and last few matches (golf clubs etc..)
- Michael Edwards, LFC Brass, Empire fight back (future business tax, ticket prices)
- Aging (Messi, Suarez, Busquets) & Underperforming (Coutinho) Barcelona
- Tactics, Lineups, Specific Patterns of Play, and Key Matchups
Instead of poorly capturing one or a few themes, I’ll leave it to RAWK to generate their own ideas and build the thread their own way - writing their own new chapters
.
The one piece I will offer up about this match is that it will
be a big gut punch to someone.
Two clubs with rich history, outstanding players, and clear pathway to a championship are building up this match to a crescendo tomorrow and six days after that. As football supporters, this is why we exist!
If things go well for us, we could possible knock out Guardiola’s boyhood team, and possibly nick the title in a matter of a week. That would be a light blue kick in the gut nuts. Imagine for a second, battering his lot last year in the Champions League, beating his old bluegrauna in another Klopp special home and away semi-final package, and then right at the end of the league watch Man City fold and lose the title?
A lot of “ifs and buts” embedded in that dream, but the gut-busting thud of people dropping off this human tower in Barcelona and the Etihad would be felt across the world.
Similarly, if Liverpool were not to make their 3rd European Championship in four years, and lose the league with a record number of points, many of us supporters would experience this as a most cruel blow (winning everything, without a trophy to show for it) and a long way to fall.
And while I would make amends with this pain, sit with it for the next three months, eventually embrace it, and get ready to go again, I am not sure all of our supporters would deal with this gut punch in the same manner. We all have our way of dealing with grief. Let us hope and believe our path is towards joy and away from abdominal pain!
Potential Lineups
Barcelona
Ter Stegen
Semedo Pique Lenglet Alba
Busquets
Rakitic Arthur/Melo
Messi Coutinho/Dembele
Suarez
*** Barcelona will play their 4-3-3 and look to dominate play with the ball (one of their major tactics will seek to penetrate the gaps in the middle of the pitch, combination play for Messi-Suarez-Coutinho)
Liverpool
Alisson
Matip Van Dijk
Alexander-Arnold Robertson
Fabinho/Henderson
Wjinaldum Henderson/Milner
Salah Mane
Firmino
* Liverpool will look to get into the spaces left by Semedo and Alba on a quick counter at the Camp Nou. They will concede SOME possession but will need to be able to retain the ball at crucial times. I think Firmino will start and our objective will be to keep our shape in the middle of the park and try to isolate either Mane or Salah 1v1 against Lenglet or Pique on the counter.
Summary
The next week is tremendously important in the future history of this club.
We have the ability to right-a-few-wrongs, inspire an entire generation with a never say die belief, and finish what was started in pre-season. Just as possible, we could see the reverse occur and it would be a quick end to a season of mostly joy. The only words of wisdom I can find in this moment are those from the Electric Light Orchestra:
Hold on Tight!
<![CDATA[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/tLCAoLaYB2Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/tLCAoLaYB2Y</a>]]> Good luck Reds! YNWA
