Every top team has peaks and troughs and even the great Barcelona are susceptible to downward curves in their trajectory.
A few bad results of late doesn’t mean that they are in crisis of course.
Indeed, let’s not forget that Barcelona won a clean sweep of the top trophies as recently as May.
But the long lay off for Lionel Messi has finally given us a proper look at just how good they are without the best player of all time – and it hasn’t always been that convincing in his absence.
The suggestion in the British media today is that they will perhaps bolster their attack in January by making a surprise move for Robin van Persie. The Guardian says:
Barcelona are planning to sign the 32-year-old striker from Fenerbahce in January. The Spanish club are in need of attacking cover and have earmarked the Dutchman and their own former goal-getter David Villa
We don’t doubt the overall calibre of the player. Van Persie was a deadly marksmen in England, with Manchester United and Arsenal, for over a decade.
He has scored 215 goals in 473 club games through his career and 50 in 101 for Holland.
But, at 32, his form has slipped sharply over the last 2 years and he hasn’t always been selected to start games for his new club Fenerbahce, which lead him to state recently:
“I was not happy that I started on the bench. I am fully fit, physically very well and able to play for 90 minutes.
We are certain that he would jump at the chance to join Barcelona even though he only moved to Turkey in the summer.
He’s a true competitor and the chance to play at the very top level again would surely appeal to him.
Let’s see him in action.
Barcelona fans: a worthy investment?
