Barcelona: Season 2009-10 Preview
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 @ 6:18 PM
Pep Guardiola and Barcelona in many ways face an impossible season.
At times during 2008-09 their football flirted with perfection, a veritable feast of offensive excellence and defensive diligence. Their Champions League triumph rounded off an unprecedented Triplete that included The Primera Division and Copa del Rey, and purists widely proclaimed the Blaugrana as the greatest team in the World today.
However, their bitter rivals Real Madrid have done their utmost to recapture some of the limelight with a relentless flow of blue-chip signings in an effort to reclaim their La Liga crown. Their efforts to build a side to vanquish the Catalonian club highlight the regard in which Guardiola's side is held, and the stage is set for a gargantuan tussle between Spanish football’s heavyweights.
Summer Market
At one stage Barcelona appeared destined to remain cloaked in the shadow of the new arrivals pulling up at the Bernabeu, but they eventually showed their hand, and in some style.
The mooted Samuel Eto’o-plus-cash deal for Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic seemed to be in development for an age, but eventually the Swede was handed the opportunity to improve a near-flawless starting line-up. Eto’o reluctantly moved to the San Siro amidst rumours that he and coach Guardiola had not seen eye-to-eye. The one aspect of the deal that remains certain is that Ibrahimovic has a formidable strike rate to follow in the form of his Cameroonian predecessor.
While the Swede was being paraded as the flagship signing for the new season, another arrival from Inter solved what had been a problem position for Pep Guardiola. With the exit of the veteran Sylvinho, left-back Maxwell has been added for a reputed fee of €3.5 million and the Brazilian will battle for a starting berth with French international Eric Abidal.
There was also of course the arrival and subsequent departure of wonder-kid Keirrison from Palmerias for €14m, then to Benfica for a season-long loan. The 20-year old will be allowed consistent first-team action in Portugal that he could never be afforded at the Camp Nou, and Guardiola will hope he returns next season a more rounded player who has adapted to the European game.
Read the rest of the article here