Barcelona have no easy route to solving crisis and impatient will only prolong revival

Spanish teams, most notably Barcelona are known for playing the Tiki-Taka football, which loosely translates to “touch-touch” and refers to the rapid, precise passing style that allows teams to maintain possession for large portions of the match.

Barcelona players respect a minute of silence prior the Spanish League football match between FC Barcelona and Granada at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on September 20, 2021. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP) (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

The Catalan club thrived playing this pattern over the years, with the help of talented players from La Masia, in the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets pulling the strings in the middle of the park, making things easy on both ends of the pitch.

Barcelona's dominance in the later stages of 2010s and early last decade was down to the brilliance of these players who well understand the concept of Tiki-Taka, and most importantly Lionel Messi, who is regarded as the greatest of all time.

Joy for the fans, envious for rival fans and nightmare for opposition, Barcelona were devastatingly too good for their opponents, that many considered contests lost even before it started, because you are up against a team, who seem to make no error.

A good part of the dominance history was orchestrated by Spanish manager Pep Guardiola, who was indeed blessed to have these players coming out of the club's famous Academy, and for nothing, Barcelona had Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, Pedro and others, some of the best footballers in that time.

Their commanding presence in midfield ensured the defense have little to do because they are in possession almost all the time, leaving the opponents little room to operate, while they also get lots of services to their men up-front, to wreck havocs on the opposition goalmouth.

Even on the international stage, the understanding from club made these players inseparable, and Spain did reaped the dividends of their prime, winning the European Championship twice and a FIFA World Cup in the space of eight years, maximizing the chemistry created in Barcelona.

The lows of this remarkable run started when Pep Guardiola moved on after the 2011-12 season. But the club was still able to maintain top level with the help of their efforts in the transfer window, securing the services of Neymar Junior and Luis Suarez, both whom along with Lionel Messi form the famous MSN trident.

Luis Suarez (R) is congratulated by Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi (C) and Neymar after scoring a goal during the second half of the Club World Cup final against River Plate on Dec. 20, 2015, in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by Kyodo News via Getty Images)

The time under Tito Vilanova, the successor of Pep Guardiola was also good for the club, but for health issues, the Spaniard had to step down and eventually replaced by Gerardo Martino, who relinquished Barcelona's LaLiga title dominance, as Atletico Madrid were crowned Champions in the 2013-14 season.

Luis Enrique replaced Martino, and Barcelona come to live again, maximizing the chemistry among the trident of Messi, Suarez and Neymar, with the presence of Iniesta and Xavi also helping, the club won the 2014-15 season Champions league title.

Barcelona enjoyed their Tiki-Taka football under Enrique but the help rendered by the trident can not be overemphasized, as their prowess proved too handful for opposition Midfield and defence players, giving them much to do, too much to think of connecting with forward players.

Unfortunately at the end of the 2016-17 season, Luis Enrique announce he will not continue with the club. The loss of Neymar to Paris-Saint Germain that summer also played a significant role in the degradation of the club.

Getting use to life without Neymar, new manager Ernesto Valverde adopted a play to win system as the crop of players can no longer effectively carry out the traditional Tiki-Taka football system.

His adopted system saw the club embacked on several remarkable unbeaten run. However, the highlight of the downs in his time at the club is the club's complacent in the Champions league in consecutive seasons.

Despite dominating locally, Barcelona were doing well in the champions league until the second leg of the quarter final clash with AS Roma in the 2017-18 season, whence they lost 3-0 in Rome and exit the competition on away goal rule.

It was an unforgivable failure but the manager continued his job into the following season but the quality of players continue to drop, as it was Andres Iniesta who left the club before the start of the season.

It was another good season under the manager even if Barcelona are slowly losing the Tiki-Taka football identity, they were able to maneuver and grind out results. However, it was another shocking exit in the champions league as they surrendered a 3-0 first leg advantage to Liverpool, losing 4-0 in the return leg of their semi-final clash.

It was the lowest the club had gone in so many years and fans called for the manager to be fired.

Though things did not go well for Valverde in Europe, but he ensured Barcelona's dominance locally, even though they shared the Spanish top-flight with a team that won three consecutive Champions League titles around that time, Real Madrid.

Realistically, Barcelona failed to understand the fact that even Pep Guardiola that started and set the standard really high at the club is struggling elsewhere, the Spanish manager was able to make it to one Champion league final since leaving Barcelona, while managing at top football clubs.

Managing at Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola's best result is the semi final, whilst he took over the team right after they have won the Champions league title, and at a big spending Manchester City, he was beaten in the final by Chelsea.

Since Valverde left, Quiqe Satien and now Ronald Koeman have so far failed to match his success. Satien's time was an absolute shocker as Barcelona recorded no success under the former Betis boss.

However, it will also be fair to highlight the shortage of quality players at the club. Barcelona spent big on the likes of Ousmane Dembélé, Antoinie Griezmann and Phillipe Coutinho but not one of these players justify their price tag, adding to the pressure on managers at the helm.

In comparison to other sides in La Liga, Barcelona currently rank behind Atletico and Real Madrid on quality of players paraded. Most of the players in the club's squad are the graduates of the club's famous Academy, while some deserve to be there, others are only there to occupy vacant spaces.

Ronald Koeman head coach of Barcelona gives instructions during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Granada CF at Camp Nou on September 20, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Yet, many are not even satisfied with how they come by the hard-fought wins, but want it to be done in a more entertaining, dominant and enjoyable fashion.

The club had over relied on the impact of Lionel Messi and rightly so since they had no other better option given the situation and the circumstances. Speaking on the Argentine, Ronald Koeman was honest in his assessment.

"Messi covered all the flaws at this club. He is so good. Of course he still had some good players around him, but he was the one who made the difference. And he made everyone around him look better than they are. This is not me criticizing, this is my observation."

Messi is a 10/10 in every aspect of the game. In recognizing situations on the pitch, in finishing, in controlling the ball, in putting the right speed behind a pass. It's not normal, it's not normal!"

And now Lionel Messi has moved on to another club. Into the first season without the Argentine, it is expected for Barcelona to struggle. The situation has not been helped by their financial crisis as they can not sign players but getting them on a free and releasing those with high wages.

The atmosphere right now is not so good on Koeman and the pressure is not helping matters for the Dutchman, who fans and critics might be forgetting is the club's legend.

Given Ronald Koeman's managerial CV prior to taking over in Barcelona, he should not have a difficult time given the players available are capable of expertly executing his tactics.

Responding to questions that the club had 54 crosses in the draw against Granada, Ronald Koeman said; "If you look at the squad list, what formation do you play ? Do you play Tiki-Taka ? We did what had to be done. Barcelona today is not the same Barca as eight years ago."

In other interview, he said, "I understand Laporta's feeling, he is a fan of this club. I don't like it too when we lose 3-0 vs Bayern Munich. But I look at the situation in a sober way. They bring on Gnabry, Hernández and Coman. We have to bring on young talents from our youth system."

"At Bayern Munich there is an idea behind the squad. Young talents, a middle-aged group, and players at the end of their twenties. We have old players, nothing in between, and the rest is young."

"There is a lot of respect here (in the streets of Barcelona). People are not crazy here. They know the situation of the club, and they are happy that I bring in the young players. That's what I meant with my "thanks to me this club as a future" quote."

Barcelona need to accept the reality that this current team is not the same as the previous ones that brought them success and therefore take it easy on managers. Nothing will be fixed without proper investment at this stage.

For a club currently experiencing financial crisis, sacking and paying off managers will not boost their recovery, but only birth another setback, more to be dealt with.

Afolabi Kehinde Hassan