Barça don land for one big week. Next Tuesday, dem go face PSG of Luis Enrique for Parc des Princes for Champions League. Five days later, dem go meet Real Madrid for first Clásico of season. Two hardest tests dey chain inside same week.
Talk for Radio Barcelona and Cadena SER show say debate dey about how Hansi Flick go handle team before Paris. Jordi Martí tok say make Flick do massive rotation against PSG. Im talk say everything pass through Sevilla. If Barça win, Sunday chance to blow LaLiga open and go ten points clear — nine plus goal average — na huge opportunity. Im call on Flick to protect squad after two wins from two for European league phase don put dem for top 8.
But Bruno Alemany no gree with that conservative view. Im tok say current Barça no get one fixed starting XI. Im point to minutes Flick don share between Gordon and Adeyemi, between Fermín and Olmo. Alemany still say Paris match key this season. Im reason say Barça dey beat Madrid almost every year, but PSG no be same story.
Coach Lluís Carreras bring numbers to back the argument. Im talk say only Lamine Yamal pass 1,000 minutes — im dey around 1,200 and something. Nobody dey around 200 minutes. Rodri, Pedri and Cubarsí dey around 700. The numbers support the theory say no gala eleven for this Barça season.
For Champions League, Barça start like team wey wan win am. Two games, two heavy wins. First na 5-1 against Feyenoord. Then for Istanbul against Galatasaray, dem come from behind and win 1-4. Beyond standings, the results dey push their candidacy as team wey dey grow and dey give more reasons to face Europe top sides.
For Istanbul, Barça no just want ball. Dem want finish play, shoot and punish. Dem rack up 22 shots, 11 on target. That one show their hunger. Lamine Yamal shine as main football leader. Dem choose am MVP for Istanbul. The number 10 no score, but im give two high-quality assists. Those passes help Fermín and Gordon turn the score. Adeyemi seal the win.
Lamine also produce one special move wey im call ‘casi rabona’. The young 10 dey make difference, but im no dey alone. Gordon shoot pass everybody and get goal. Cancelo open the comeback before halftime. Fermín show again from second line. Adeyemi add another attacking solution. Dani Olmo, wey Flick use as false nine, show versatility: link play, find space, assist Joao and try shot.
Na that variety make Barça hard to contain. Dem fit beat man outside, find free man inside, attack box with second-line runners, or test from distance. When rival beat the press, Joan Garcia dey there. The goalkeeper important for Istanbul, especially second half, with two key saves, seven recoveries and three anticipations. E confirm say im important for team wey need keeper alert behind defence.
Barça dey grow from talent, but more from collective wey dey complete. Still, one bad record dey: dem don concede at least one goal for 17 straight Champions League matches. That one no spoil the night wey feed hope. This Barça get goals, alternatives and one special leader. After the matchday, dem finish as co-leaders with same points and goal difference as Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa. But French side score one goal more than Barça and English side, so PSG lead provisionally.
All this go add more weight to next Tuesday game for Parc des Princes. Flick team go visit PSG for the biggest match you fit see for Europe.
