Even in their darkest nightmares, FC Barcelona fans probably did not expect such a beating after a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, in the knockout round of the Champions League. A historic defeat, only the fourth on such a score in the history of the Blaugrana on the continental scene. And perhaps one of the most painful.
Because in the Park of the Princes, the Barcelonians were made march on. From the first to the last minute. A supreme humiliation for the Catalan’s side which made a great noise throughout the planet. But it is in Spain that Barca was the hardest criticized. For Spain daily, El Periodico, this rout probably sounds the end of a cycle, that the era of Luis Enrique, arrived on the bench of the club in the summer of 2014.
According to the daily Sport, does not go with the back of the game. “The King abdicates in the Park of Princes,” says the flagship media in Barcelona. “It would take a miracle for Barca, a perfect match, without error, without any flaw to glimpse the quarterfinals. Luis Enrique’s men have played the worst game of recent years, becoming a true caricature of football,” criticized the daily Sport.
“From start to finish, it was a soulless team, without pride and heart. Barca was the PSG puppet that completely destroyed their rivals. The King abdicated by throwing its crown violently against the lawn of the Park of Princes. The king is dead. Long live the King,” one reads. Virulent criticism to the detriment of the fans of Barcelona.
With hindsight, the overall analysis seems fairly hasty. For if the Barcelona really lived a real calvary in Paris, no sign of such a slap was foreseeable. Muddy only one time this season, when they were held 0-0 draw by Malaga on last November 19 in La Liga, Barcelona had lost only one of their last 23 outings all competitions combined. If on some meetings, the content did not necessarily reflect the final score, no one could have foreseen such an earthquake.
This could be the end of Luis Enrique era in the last 16 round of Champions League. (Source:www.thesun.co.uk)
Luis Enrique will probably leave Barcelona at the end of the season, and not just because of this result. He is out of contract at the end of season, and has always been extremely evasive over whether he aims to sign a new one.
At three weeks of the round back to Camp Nou, Lionel Messi and his colleagues have the capabilities to return any situation. Even if the mission is very, very complicated at their home ground.
