There was a time when Barcelona's style was non-negotiable Barcelona The opinion of Roberto Palomar

There was a time when Barcelona clung onto a non-negotiable style, the La Masia way of keeping the ball. Xavi Hernandez, in particular, defended that. That was a great Barcelona side. They were a machine. They didn't just win titles, but they had a style. There was almost a separate sport for everyone else. This is something Barcelona did, creating a second way of seeing football.

However, it was a lie that it was non-negotiable. Like everything that aspires to perfection, it needed fundamentalists like Pep Guardiola and Xavi. The rest of the team followed them like a cult. Nothing lasts forever, though, and the style went towards another unique plan, that of Lionel Messi. It works. Barcelona aren't the same as before, but this plan works. They're no longer a great team, but are a team with a great player. There's a difference.

Before, they looked for whatever would make the team work, but that non-negotiable style isn't there anymore. The style is Messi and when Messi isn't there then there's no style. Messi, like any human, has his weaknesses and his comfort zones. You don't win the Champions League by saying you're going to go out and win it. It's not like flicking a switch.

Barcelona need to get back to the fundamentals, to the style, to the ball, to the Xavi way. They need to make Messi a tool and not the end result. It's not about having the best players. It's about having the best team.