Pep’s silent revolution at Barcelona

November 30th, 2008 | By: Jan | 5 Comments »

We have been focusing a lot on Real Madrid in the last months. And justified too, with five exciting Dutch players wearing the royal white. But let’s not forget our connection with Barca for a moment. True, there are no Dutch players involved, but Pep Guardiola does work on the foundation Frank Rijkaard left and one Johan Cruyff is still heavily involved in the back ground.

Last Saturday, it came down as three phenomenal whiplashes Indy-style. Barcelona forced Sevilla on their knees in their own home. Bam, bam, bam. Eto’o and Messi (twice). Of course, you’d almost say.

The 0-3 appeared as if it didn’t take any effort at all. But Dani Alves, the Brazilian right back who actually never plays at the back, summarized it all in one sentence: “To be where we are, you need to work incredibly hard and have the will to do so, again and again.” The overwhelming football machine that is Barca doesn’t win it’s games, it crushes the opponent in an humiliating fashion.

Barca doesn’t want to compare to Real Madrid. Messi: “I’m not here to talk about Real. We look at ourselves. We need to do it, whatever the competition does…”. True, but the contrast was telling last weekend. The Meringuez failed when they played their humble neighbor Getafe while Barca seems to play football from another planet. Again. In two weeks, Schuster’s champs will have to face Barca in Camp Nou.

Barcelona’s transformation is remarkable. In the last two seasons, they seemed to fade away, pulled into stories about Ronaldinho’s night life antics and Eto’o inflated ego. Coach Pep Guardiola and guru Johan Cruyff don’t want to hear any negative on Rijkaard, though. He did lead the club to two titles in a row and the coveted CL win. But, Guardiola – the master apprentice of JC – knew he had to change the trend to get Barca going again. Where Rijkaard wanted the players to take responsibility – and most of them eventually failed in doing so – Guardiola grabbed the reigns tightly in his hands.

Henry: “It seems to work, although I miss my iPod in the bus.”

No more iPods and mobile phones, no alternative businesses 48 hours before the match, no tv appearances after 10 pm…

But, Guardiola is not a trainings camp man, so the players spend more time at home.


JC and Pep Guardiola

The revolution on the pitch is even bigger. Pep is a man of details, as taught by his then-while coach Johan Cruyff. Details decide games. And Guardiola uses tricks and tactics from other sports, like field hockey. Analists and experts use video images to analyze movements and running lines of opponents, in particular with set pieces. Free kicks and corner kicks are being perfected as if they are penalty corners from hockey. And they’re different for every opponent.

Barca lost their first match but soon after the train started picking up speed and seems to be unstoppable now. Barca scores on average 3 times per game and only conceded 14 goals in 18 matches.

The team hasn’t lost a game in 19 matches and won the last ten away games. Real Madrid has a go in two weeks, to see if it can break the spell.



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Comments
Username By goose | December 1st, 2008 at 4:51 am
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Step in Ferenc!

Posted from Netherlands Netherlands

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Username By ferenc | December 1st, 2008 at 7:32 pm
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yes,goose,my friend:-) barca is great this year,messi and eto’o are sublime,xavi organizes everything,dani alves is the best right back of the world. but what’s going on with real? as a barca-fan i’m happy for that,but as a oranje-fan i’m worried to see vdv. he’s no more the brilliant player he was at hamburg. is the huntelaar story a gossip or true? i would be sad for ajax. and to be honest: without any dutch player barca play more dutch football than real. in pep’s work i feel both cruijff and frank.

i follow the blog,but have too much work,and travel a lot,so – sorry – i don’t have too much time to write. but my heart is always oranje.

Posted from Hungary Hungary

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Username By bobotoh | December 1st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
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I am afraid that VdV will become an average player. He is not the starting eleven at Madrid. What is happening to him?

Posted from Indonesia Indonesia

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Username By alaa | December 1st, 2008 at 11:47 pm
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on the gazzetta dello sport website they say huntelaar is real madrid’s player starting from januray. they don’t say it is possible they say it is already a done deal. what do you guys know about it? i don’t find any similar news on other websites, even on real’s website!

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Username By bobotoh | December 2nd, 2008 at 6:01 am
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Until it is announced by Real on their website, it is still rumour.

Posted from Indonesia Indonesia

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