The new project that emerged out of necessity has fired my Barca heart anew and is very exciting from my point of view. It’s good that Barca are doomed to be more than a club again and to reflect on their own philosophy. My biggest concern, however, is that our style of modern football – personally, I think the reactive, physical pressing football that is common today, but that doesn’t matter – is obsolete. I’ve had this feeling for the past 5 years. Much was covered up by Messi and Co.
Oh and something else about Messi. I hope that his individual achievements over the past few years will now be seen with different eyes in this team. With all due respect for the sensational Lewandowski, but no player could have achieved such values with this team. To shine as a final player at Bayern or Liverpool is no art. Just look at Choupo-Moting’s odds this season. Wearing this Barca and still achieving such values is a completely different story. If the Balon D’Or election were strictly related to individual performance, then Messi would have to have that title 8 or 9 times. I believe that Messi, for example, was only 5th in 2018 with slightly better values than Lewandowski at the time of the last election. But he accepted it and didn’t complain.
Well, I guess those responsible for Barca and fans could imagine better than “that Barca are doomed to be more than a club again”, it would be better if you had taken that into account more in your transfer policy over the last few years.
Regarding the style: It seems to be at least the currently more promising style, although personally I would like a mixture of both styles best. Always only 90 minutes of full throttle pressing is not so nice and not too nerve-sparing as a fan, because from time to time an interspersed Spanish ball circulation would be nice.
Regarding the elections: I personally have no idea who would have deserved it this year and anyway it’s always really difficult to judge. In theory, I could counter the fact that it wasn’t difficult to shine as a final player at Barca, because you have had a very dominant way of playing football over the last decade that created a lot of chances and crushed your opponents. Your regularly well over 100 league goals per season testify to a greater degree of strength and quality of chances compared to the other Spanish teams.
On the other hand, one could say that a Salah or Mané at Liverpool under Klopp has taken huge steps in development, has developed into world-class players, as has a Lewandowski who has gotten even better in the last 3 years.
I wouldn’t have seen him as the winner this year either. It would have been fairest last year, so to speak as the culmination of 2020. In the end, Lewy played his best season, won all six titles, was the top goalscorer in all competitions (league, cup, CL, Supercup, ClubWM), and with his Individual performances significantly ensured that we were still represented in all competitions in March / April 2020 (Cup duel Heidenheim 2nd round and round of 16, x points saved in the last Kovac weeks in September, October, November 2019) etc.
During that season he improved a lot, was more team-friendly, played our offensive game, etc.
You couldn’t expect more than that, and neither could he.