We have said it many times this season: we are really not convinced by Barcelona. Even in Wednesday’s thumping 7-2 win over Newcastle, there were signs that the defense remained fragile, due to Hansi Flick’s insistence on playing the high line, coupled with several injuries to key players in the defense and Frenkie de Jong in front of them.
With Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, Barça still have two of the most formidable attackers in Europe, while Robert Lewandowski has even rediscovered his goalscoring instinct against the Magpies and could well be looking for one last burst of brilliance for what could well be his last season in the Champions League. Add to that the genius of Pedri, and everything suggests that, if the Blaugrana manage to remain solid in defense, they could well go all the way.
Firstly, they will have to avoid repeating their Copa del Rey semi-final defeat to Atlético Madrid when they face Diego Simeone’s side in the quarter-finals, the Rojiblancos having literally demolished Barça at the Metropolitano during this double confrontation.
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