FC Barcelona. An amazing spectacle. Some say, the world’s best team. Countless accolades, winners medals and adjectives have been showered on Los Azulgranes during the course of the past five years.
Ever since Pep Guardiola took over a Barca that needed to go through the Knockout Qualifying Rounds of the UEFA Champions League to get into the tournament that crowned the sextuple achievements.
Ever since Ronaldinho passed that baton on to Messi, since the youth system produced talents to match those in the first team. The individual disappeared from FC Barcelona and the collective became more important.
Relative unknowns were signed as household names were sold, and Barca transitioned from a good team in the top four of Spanish football to the efficient submission machine it is today. Individual skill and ability were replaced by possession football and the ability to out pass and outscore the opponent.