Pep’s silent revolution at Barcelona

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.