2-0 United and that's probably the match won.

Awful defending from West Ham for the second, players just wandering without any inkling of picking up.

The English media is unbelievable with their grandiose reactions to every game. On Saturday Carroll had a good game and the cry went up that Roy had to take him to the Euros. Today Rashford scores a good goal and the same people are saying he should be on the plane.

I realise these people have to sell papers but such violent reactions to every twist and turn in a 9 month season is incredibly tiresome.

Van Gaal 1 media 0

Semi final for United.

Still he could win and Jose could still take over. City would win the CL and still be getting rid of a manager all be it for the worlds best coach.

Barca look tired..

Curse of the champions league holders strikes again. Think they may lose the title.

Players are looking jaded.

You can have three World class strikers in your team but if you dont rest them then they will get tired

Just heard a funny fella on TalkSport. He believes there is a conspiracy between the referees and others to punish West Ham because if Man City don't finish in the top four then Pep wouldn't join them

It doesn't stop people thinking that earning 100k+ a week means players are like robots and should be able to play every week no problem.

Have to say they didn't get much from the ref today and they obviously didn't against arsenal.

For £300k a week and all they do is play football they should be able to run until they pass out. It was nothing to do with being tired and more to do with Atletico Madrid being organised, disciplined and harassing Barcelona into making mistakes. Atletico wanted that game more than Barcelona.

Don;t understand this argument.
Surely Man Utd are more of a threat to Man CIty's Champions Leage place than West Ham?

And there we have it. Didn't take long.

Wasn't Stan Collymore was it?

Money cant make people into superheroes, they are still limited by their bodies, or do you condone them doping to be superhuman?

Do they have no one who can give the front trio a breather now and then? They always seem to be pumping record numbers of goals past sides in La Liga - surely there are numerous opportunities to rest one of the big boys. Even if they switched to a front two or something.

Just seems like a massive oversight for a side that expects to challenge for every cup they enter.

Back in January Barcelona played and beat Athletic Bilboa 2-1 in the Copa del Rey with Suarez suspended and Messi injured. The following match Neymar was out of the squad because of a hamstring injury. IOW substitutes are available for those players, but Barca apparently choose not to rest those players unless compelled to do so either through injury or suspension.

Why don't Barca sign a target man, to bring on when under pressure in a match? As a Plan B if nothing else. Having to put Pique up front LOL

Who do they think they are? Leicester City?!

They tried that with Ibrahimovic to a degree, and it didn't pan out as well as it might have been expected.

They don't need an Ibrahimovic. Their strike force is fine. But just a guy who will be content to sit on the bench most of the year but who'll be a serious option as a Plan B up front when chasing a match. From set pieces and long balls

Since when was running about 'superhuman'? The Barcelona players are fit enough and rubbish about them being tired simply isn't true. They are professional athletes who do this day in and day out. They simply came up against a better organised and disciplined team who sat deep and Barcelona couldn't break them down. Is there a drug to make you want a game more or pick better passes or referees to give clear penalties?

Luis Enrique rotated the team much more last season. I do agree with some other posters that they need to add a few players to their squad. Attacking players, they tried signing Nolito from Celta Vigo in January but the move collapsed.

You know this because of?

You claimed players should be able to run till they drop cos somehow earning 300k a week must mean players cannot get tired.

Barcelona didn't lose simply because they were tired, that would be a great disserve to Athletico to claim such a thing. However anyone who has watched Barcelona over the last few weeks cannot deny that the team looks devoid of energy. Its not just about last night they have been stuttering for weeks but hey they are well paid so how dare anyone think athletes can get tired.

Neymar looks like his going to miss Copa America, Chelsea are concerned about William's international duties but how can experts in there field dare to question whether a pro footballer can suffer burnout. They are well paid and that's just not possible.


Some say the club really let down Enrique with not getting that deal done.

I know because they are professional athletes that could run all day. They are as fit as any footballer is going to get and chasing the ball like Atletico did is a lot harder than having 77% possession.

Barcelona are well known to have problems against teams who put 11 men behind the ball and stay compact and narrow. Atletico sat deeper than Barcelona thought and with Messi having a dip in form there wasn't the creativity to assist or score. Simeone's tactics worked perfectly and bad excuses about Barcelona don't wash.

Sacrelige!

Playing 12 more games than Athletico Madrid have at this stage of the season is also going to exert a lot more energy but you are a clearly the expert when it comes to sports medicine.

I would say watch the Barcelona games over the last few weeks and then maybe you might comprehend that its not just about last night. I said after the classico it looked like Barcelona were running in quicksand as the warning signs were there.


If you could, please give us a list of opponents this has shown to be the case or are you speaking from one game last night?

One has to be truly amazed how Barcelona managed to bet Athletico twice in la liga when they struggle so much against a side which is compact and narrow.