Barca need a couple of pure defenders

What happened to Barcelona at Camp Nou? Just how ordinary did they look without Lionel Messi? By the way, since when have they been so dependent on Messi? Or was that always the case? The world is already talking of a power shift and, perhaps, asking a few questions about the way forward for Barcelona.

Questions should be asked since standards have been set and met thus far with amazing regularity. A defeat is not a crisis, but not finding the back of the net over 180 minutes and allowing your opponents to breach your fortress is close to being termed as one. And if you are a Camp Nou faithful, it’s more than just a crisis.

As a football fan, it amazes me how the last week has turned out for Spanish football, more so for Barcelona. Up until a fortnight back, the world was talking about the ‘total football’ that Barcelona has prided itself in. Up until a fortnight back, the world was talking about Messi being the greatest on the planet. Yes, he still is. But at the same time, the rationale was Messi fitted into the Barca system that boasts one of the very best midfields in the world.

So were Barca as good this season as they were in the past or did Messi make them look better? How about this statistic to start with — 44 of the 101 goals netted by Barca in La Liga had a final appointment with Messi’s body. Next on the list is Cesc Fabregas with 10, whose role is not always to be a No. 10. Further down is David Villa (8), whose future isn’t too secure in Spain. The same equation in the context of the Champions League is more glaring — Messi scored eight times in 11 games; Jordi Alba netted twice.

Messi didn’t play Bayern at home and Alba was suspended for the game.

Tito Vilanova has a point when he says he didn’t have the best defence available for the return leg. But then, the Spanish side has conceded the most this season since Pep Guardiola began working on the defensive line-up he inherited from Frank Rijkaard. And with the likes of Carlos Puyol not getting any younger, Vilanova & Co. might think about hunting for a couple of pure defenders in the market. Gerard Pique, who joined Barca in the 2008-09 season, still remains the last good, pure centre-back acquisition for the Catalans.

Xavi insisted this setback will inspire Vilanova’s Barcelona for bigger and better things in the future. But with the midfielder placed at 33 years of age, now is perhaps the time Barcelona should start planning. They do have a youthful look about them at most positions on the pitch but to stay put with the philosophy of Barca, you need to find an exceptional talent in the midfield over the next couple of seasons who can compose a symphony in sync with maestros such as Messi and Andres Iniesta. And in this context, the role of Cesc Fabregas is going to be critical.

Issues off the pitch with their top man in Vilanova didn’t help matters. Doesn’t matter how well-oiled a machine appears to be, it still needs to be fed with similar and consistent instructions for optimum performance. Unfortunately, that couldn’t happen with the manager’s battle with cancer. That, hopefully is an issue that’s been dealt with, now that we are seeing more of Vilanova in the dugout.

To write off Barcelona is stupidity but at the same time, the last fortnight showed us why even the very best need to ask themselves some hard questions; questions that will help them find an answer in the context of the standards they have set for themselves and the rest of the world.

The writer is sports editor and senior presenter with Neo Sports.