By Jordan Carreno

The first leg of the Champions League Semi-Finals has Liverpool heading down to Camp Nou to take on Barcelona. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM EST on Wednesday.

Barcelona v Liverpool — 05/01/2019 2000 GMT

A Champions League Semi against one of the bigger names in European football and a chance to face off against one of the greatest football players of all time. What more could you ask for? These are the moments we’ve thirsted for as supporters during those days where we had to watch the Champions League from afar, a chance for our Reds to go up against the best.

Now that it is here, I am fully encouraging everyone to do whatever it is you have to do to be able to sit down and watch this match. As always, all 3 LFC Tampa Bay locations will be open, serving, and showing the match, so come on down and cheer Liverpool on with some fellow Reds. With all that being said, let’s get into these talking points.

Among the Best

When Klopp took over as Liverpool manager just a little over three and a half years ago, Liverpool were some distance away from being seriously considered as among the world’s best football teams. Though we would end up getting to the Europa League final that first season under Klopp, Liverpool had a team that was ultimately no better than seventh in the Premier League. Now, Liverpool have matured under Klopp to become one of the best teams in Premier League history and to be good enough to reach back-to-back Champions League semi-finals.

It means that this tie against Barcelona becomes more than just a historical matchup but rather a spectacle for the whole footballing world. This isn’t like our group stage show-down against Real Madrid in 2015 where we were clearly out of our element and a class below our opposition, this will be two of the best teams in the world testing themselves against each other. Liverpool have clawed their way back to the upper echelons of world football. Liverpool are now in the type of matches a club of this size needs to be in. This is where Liverpool belongs, among the best.

In a season where the Reds have done battle with one of the, if not the, greatest Premier League sides to ever exist, it is only appropriate they should have to go head-to-head with one of the greatest European sides in the last decade and one of the greatest players of all-time. On paper, this Barcelona team is full of the type of names that make your insides do flips and have you worrying before a ball is even kicked. It will be no different for the Barcelona fans who are sat thinking about the prospects of facing off against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. This will be a proper showing of the best that football has to offer.

As the saying goes, “to be the best you have the beat the best.” So as Liverpool stride to regain their former glories, these are the type of tests they have to pass. That we have gone from a struggling seventh place team without European football to pushing for a possible repeat appearance at a European Cup final and challenging for the league in less than 4 years is a thing to marvel at. Liverpool are back among the best and playing in the type of matches that get the whole world of football talking.

Tactical Chess Match

This tie could end up being a tactical chess match between the two managers

When teams of this quality face-off, the tie usually comes down to the the fine margins. Both Barcelona and Liverpool have the talent available to them to cancel out the other side’s advantages. Usually when teams are as well matched as these two are, the difference between victory and defeat comes down to the tactics deployed. So, it will be interesting to see how both Klopp and Ernesto Valverde decide to set up against each other.

For Liverpool it might be a bit more straightforward. With the first leg being played away from home, Liverpool will likely look to soak up pressure and counter Barcelona. It is a tactic that has served us well in the last two seasons in away legs. Liverpool are known the world over for their counter attack and their ability to transition into attack. Though it was only against Porto in last season’s round of 16 that the Reds played the first leg away from home, Liverpool have shown throughout the past two European campaigns an ability to go away from home, soak up pressure, and score goals.

For Barcelona things are a bit more in the balance. Though they will certainly want to come out, score goals, and try their best to wrap this tie up before heading to Anfield, they will also want to avoid getting caught on. Whilst normally Barcelona would want to push up the pitch, doing so in this particular tie will play right into Liverpool’s hands. If they wind up pushing their fullbacks up the park to participate in attacking play, it will ultimately mean leaving space for Sadio Mane and Mo Salah to exploit on the counter. Given the importance that away goals can play in European ties, Barcelona will want to avoid shipping any to the Reds.

It all sets up for a bit of a tactical chess match to unfold on Wednesday. With the difference in talent between the two sides being so minimal, there will be an extra emphasis on the tactics deployed. The decisions that Jurgen Klopp and Ernesto Valverde make might ultimately be the difference in the tie. It will be interesting to see how both sides decide to come at each other.

Not Your Dad’s Barcelona

This Barcelona side isn’t as good as the legendary Barca teams of the recent past

Though this Barcelona side are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the world, they aren’t on the same level as the famous Barca teams of the recent past. They may have walked the league again this season, but this team isn’t the same class as the Barcelona sides that won three European Cups in seven years. Whilst the name “Barcelona” is still enough to strike fear in the hearts of any fanbase on the continent, this iteration isn’t as all-conquering as its predecessor.

They still have Lionel Messi and he is able to do the unthinkable at any given moment, but even Messi can’t stop time from getting up to its usual tricks. The last few seasons, though he is still performing at a ridiculously high level, have seen Messi’s output begin to trend downward. Plus, as we have seen in recent times, Messi led teams aren’t immune to imploding in on themselves. It was just last season that Barca took a 4–1 lead to Roma before going out after a 3–0 second leg defeat.

In fact, this is the first semi-final Barcelona have reached since they won the final back in 2015. Prior to that season they had reached 6-of-7 semis, including the two seasons they won the final in 2009 and 2011. The other four times they reached the semi-finals without reaching the final, they lost to the eventual winners of the Champions League. This team however has seen themselves go out in the quarter-finals in matchups in which they were the favored team. That includes an abysmal 0–0 draw at the Camp Nou against Juventus in 2016.

Which brings us to Barcelona’s famed stadium, the Camp Nou, where Barcelona haven’t lost in the Champions League since May of 2013. This 23 match unbeaten run at home in Europe is the current longest run and only second all time to Bayern’s 29 from 1998 to 2002. On top of that, Barcelona boast an impressive 21–11–2 record against English sides at the Camp Nou. It would all add another layer of angst if not for the fact that Liverpool are the only English side to beat Barcelona at their ground. In fact, Liverpool have never lost at the Camp Nou with two wins and two draws in their four appearances. If anything, Liverpool appear immune to the mysticism surrounding Barca’s ground.

Once again, Barcelona are among the group of sides that could make an argument for being the best in the world. They have one of the greatest players of all-time in Lionel Messi and have a recent history for dominating the competition, especially at their home ground. However, they aren’t at the peak of their powers anymore and it can’t be said that they are miles better than this Liverpool team. It is going to take a lot more than reputation and hoodoo for Barcelona to come out on top in this tie.

Prediction

We are back to our European table for this one where David and I both picked up a point for predicting a Liverpool win. I now lead by a score of 12–9.

I think Barcelona will let their arrogance get to them and that they come out looking to win this tie in one leg. Whilst I personally think the smart thing to do would be to play more cautious in hopes of heading to Anfield needing to win or draw while scoring, Barcelona are on a level where they probably feel it is Liverpool that will have to adapt to them and not the other way around. I think we will see Barcelona trying to dominate possession and flying up the pitch, which should mean space for the Reds to exploit.

I have little doubt that Jurgen Klopp will line up in the 4–3–3 and look to his Barcelona on the counter. I also think we see Fabinho, Henderson, and Gini in midfield as Klopp looks to force Barcelona down the wings and win as much possession in the half spaces as possible. It looks as if Bobby should be fit for the game, so the usual front 3, and I suspect we go with the 5 at the back that have become our regulars in Europe (VVD, Matip, Robbo, Trent, Ali).

The rational side of me says we go there and lose 2–1 meaning we merely need to win without conceding at Anfield to go through. The first leg will definitely see Barcelona dominate possession and it could be tense at times. So, the rational part of me says that a 2–1 Barcelona scoreline would probably be expected. However, this section of the blog isn’t reserved for rationality. This is reserved for chaos. The Reds head to the Camp Nou and do the business again. 2–1, Liverpool.

David’s Prediction: I actually think the usual Barcelona arrogance/confidence goes out of the window. All murmurs from insiders suggest that Barca didn’t want this tie and that Valverde has been studying the tapes of our matches against City carefully as he alters his usual game plan. What does this mean? Quick passing out of the back to attempt to beat Liverpool’s press and believe it or not, the occasional long ball from Barca. I’m not sure they know how to execute that, but Suarez and Messi will be looking to make the most of any opportunity they have to get the ball at their feet. Liverpool will play disciplined knowing where they are and what is at stake. Get them back to Anfield with slightest of advantages and you’d have to be crazy to not give these Reds decent odds at a second straight final. I’m going to call a 1–1 draw in what plays out as a tactical case study we’ll be talking about for weeks.