The Galactico syndrome that afflicted Real Madrid appears to have struck Barcelona with equally damaging effects.
Only three years ago Barca’s young players, including Ronaldinho, Andres Iniesta, Samuel Eto’o and Xavi, gained admiration for their quick, passing football.
Frank Rijkaard’s tactics brought global praise, two league titles and a Champions League. Every one at the club was caught up in the success and one delegate rushed to Harvard University to explain Barca’s successful team model.
But the talent-laden Barca endured a difficult season last term when they lost their league title and disappointed in the Champions League amid several ego-driven disputes.
The club tried to revamp the dressing room by signing defensive players such as Eric Abidal, Gabriel Milito and Yaya Toure. They are doing their job but for a team to win, everyone needs to graft, not just a few.
Top names Ronaldinho and Deco are among those whose form has been sluggish this year. Their struggles did not stop Rijkaard for including them in the 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid at the Camp Nou in the last match of 2007. Both were booed in an embarrassing night that put league leaders Real Madrid clear at the top.
Ronaldinho and Deco missed Saturday’s game in Mallorca. Barca won.
Will Rijkaard be able to eradicate the Galactico culture just like champions Real finally did? If so, which will be the next club to catch the syndrome?
Elena Moya, a big Barca fan in London
PHOTO: Barca’s Ronaldinho in training on Dec. 5 REUTERS/Albert Gea
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3 comments so far
I agree Barça do appear to have developed some of symptoms of the Galactico syndrome that plagued Real. Rijkaard does appear to be trying to eradicate some of the problems, but hasn´t gone the whole hog as he showed by recalling Ronaldinho for the clasico. Still he may have been using that match to hang him out to dry and will now play hungry youngsters like Giovani and Bojan more often.
The main problem is that Barca’s short-passing game now lacks the pace and incisivemness it once had and it is too easy to defend against if a team sits back and plays on the break.
Messi is superbly skilful, but too often plays with his head down, Eto’o has been out of action with injury too long, Ronaldinho has lost his old sharpness off the mark, Henry has struggled to adapt to the Barça style and has a chronic back problem (an astute sale from Wenger?).
The team also lack sufficient bite in midfield with Deco off form and Toure missing too often through injury.
They will be hit hard by Eto’o and Toure´s absence at the African Nations Cup, but I still feel they could be up there challenging as Real are relying heavily on Casillas´s brilliant keeping and Van Nistelrooy’s superb finishing and if one of them goes off form they could suffer.
- Posted by Simon BaskettBarca’s galactico signing of Thierry Henry, driven by president Joan Laporta rather than Frank Rijkaard, is the perfect example of the club going down the Real Madrid/Florentino Perez route.
- Posted by MarkHe’s been a flop so far, and they really need him but he’s struggling with a back injury. With Messi injured and Eto’o off to African Nations cup it is time for him to earn his corn. I don’t think he will.
Ronaldinho and Deco have not performed but it is unfair to heep all the blame on them. I do think Rijkaard played them both against real to put pressure on them rather than himself and they are being made scapegoats.
Real look like they will walk the league this year and Rijkaard will probably leave. Laporta will stay though and that’s where galactico ideas come from. It took Real a long time to shake the bug.
Barca will definitely bounce back, surely Barca is winning the la liga title this season.
- Posted by james.o emmanuel