Barcelona vs Chelsea Post Game Analysis

March 14, 2018

Messi and Co. erase the memories of 2012 as Barcelona take care of business at home to move on to yet another Champions League quarter finals. A deflated Chelsea had a much better first half but were unable to find a way past Barcelona’s lockdown defense. Meanwhile, the hosts rode the Messi train to victory in an amazing fashion. The last game in the Round of 16 gave us Barcelona as the eighth and final quarterfinalists.

Lionel Messi was a teenager the last time Barcelona didn’t make the quarter-finals 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/UlNjhG6Qir

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 14, 2018

What Went Right For Barcelona?

Lionel Andres Messi. The football equivalent of magical. Hard to beat a team that has a cheat code like Messi. Able to create chances out of thin air like we saw with Dembele’s goal in the first half.

Before you try to compare Messi with any other player, please remember, he assisted Dembele for his goal, who isn’t even in this picture.. pic.twitter.com/9OLEAPSnbs

— Mike Sanz (@mikesanz19) March 14, 2018

Messi’s goal right at the start of the game was exactly what the doctor ordered for Barcelona because it allowed them to control the tempo of the game. The ingenuity that it takes to spot a player from 30+ yards away and playing him at the right time with the right pace of the ball to make sure it gets there perfectly for him and finds the defense off balance.

Apart from Messi, Barcelona remained solid as a rock defensively. Umtiti and Pique had yet another World class game solidifying their case as one of the best centre back partnerships in the World. Dominant in the air, great anticipation of the play, physical without fouling and always quick to rotate when needed. Ter Stegen was required to make limited saves but did his job when needed. As a team, Barca were smart enough not to stab when off the ball and proceeded to just stall the counters until they could defend collectively. Took Hazard out of the game and limited Willian’s influence.

What Went Wrong For Chelsea?

The scoreline would tell you that Chelsea played terrible. Of course we know that that’s not the case. Chelsea dominated big chunks of the game and had some great chances to score in the first half. Kante took a shot that was not his and shanked it wide and Marcos Alonso was inches away from a screamer at the Camp Nou. I think starting with Giroud affected Chelsea right from the start because the French striker seemed out of sync with his teammates and struggled to put himself in a good position to score.

Also, Courtois needed to do better on both of Messi’s goals especially on the first. There is no way that a keeper should be beaten on his near post. Let alone get megged. Chelsea made a few mistakes over the course of 180 minutes and they paid for them dearly.

Are Barcelona Contenders?

Of course. Whenever you have a player like Cristiano or Messi, your team should always be considered contenders. Players that can change the entire game in a blink of an eye. Their own little cheat code you can use when things get difficult. Along with that, Barcelona have an amazing defense that seems unbearable at times. Suarez is reaching peak Suarez form and Dembele is slowly becoming the player Barca expected to get. Valverde has created a well-oiled machine that is a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

Where Now For Chelsea?

Antonio Conte is surely leaving this summer meaning that the new manager that comes in will bring in a different tactical approach. It’ll be interesting to see what changes the new manager makes and which players will be shown to the exit along with Conte. Chelsea urgently need a striker in the summer along with a possible replacement for Kante if he decides to leave. Hazard and Courtois might also consider a departure from Stamford Bridge meaning that Chelsea might find themselves looking for big name replacements.