[Sport] Reasons to dream of the sixth Champions League

[#Steeven.™]

Barça is already in the eighth final in Lisbon after defeating Napoli, even if they appear in Portugal without the favorite poster. In fact, the bookmakers place the candidates in this order of probability: City, Bayern, PSG and Barça. A new scenario for a team used to being the favorite in every game.

The irregular season of the Catalans does not place them at the same height as their most powerful rivals, assuming that City and Bayern are also on their side of the table. The doubts remain because Barça still does not show itself at a top level, but the conditions of the competition, the most open Champions League in history, without a roundtrip in the quarterfinals and semis and on neutral ground, are factors that can favor this diminished Barcelona. who also has reason to dream of his thirteenth consecutive quarter-final season.

A little of Messi is a lot, and a lot of Messi can be worth a Champions League. He appeared half an hour against Napoli to decide the tie and the mesmerizing power of the Argentine is already known on European nights. Against Bayern there have been two extreme versions of Leo, the unstoppable in 2009 and 2015, the injured, in 2013, with those very painful semis (7-0). Messi will be without problems against the Germans after the scare with Koulibaly. Having Messi in your team is the best argument to go to Lisbon with hope.

More effective

Despite the shortage of his squad, Setién recovers Busquets and Arturo Vidal for the quarters, who will arrive rested after serving a sanction against Naples (and they all pass clean). More options and more refreshment players, because it is understood that both will start, so they will move two teammates to the bench, a midfielder and a forward (Griezmann) or two midfielders (Sergi Roberto and Rakitic). In any case, Setién adds troops for the assault on the sixth orejona, with the doubt still of whether Dembélé will be able to reappear. Many months of absence and extremely demanding matches are not the best scenario, but a spark from the Mosquito can be worth gold.

De Jong is back

Against Napoli a top level De Jong was seen. The statistics collected a 93% effectiveness of passes in the opposite field (40 of 43), gave air to the team, with the ball and without it, beat lines, made attacks and was always there to lend a hand in coverage. Barça missed Frenkie a lot in the fight for LaLiga, even more so after Arthur's resignation. The best midfielder of the last Champions League is back and he wears Barça.

The format

With a short squad and physically far from the best prepared, the format of a single game and neutral field can be beneficial for Barça, whose shortcomings are more exploitable in a double game. There will be no room for error and everything evens out. Sergi Roberto himself admitted it: "With this format there are no favorites" These are three endings in a row and precisely the covering role can benefit him.

The Ter Stegen-Piqué-Lenglet axis

Starting with the goalkeeper, who will also have the opportunity to vindicate himself against his rival for the German goal, Neuer, and continuing with a pair of centrals led by Piqué, surely Barça's most regular player of the season, and completed by a Lenglet who continues to grow and will also be launched after his important goal against Naples. Post-confinement Barça have defended better and conceded less, and that is another reason for hope in the one-game ties.