FC Barcelona Quest For 100 Points Masks Tito Vilanovaai??i??s Failure

Before causing an uproar amongst Barcelona fans, winning a domestic championship can never be considered a failure. However, in the grand scheme of things, Barcelona have somewhat underwhelmed. Considering that the Blaugrana have been the runaway leaders in La Liga right from the start ai??i?? even holding a 15-point advantage over their nearest rivals in December ai??i?? their exploits in other tournaments must be viewed in some context, the Champions League in particular.

FC Barcelona Vilanova — How to rate Barcelona’s season overall?

While many a fan wouldai??i??ve signed on for a La Liga title and semi-final appearances in the Copa del Rey, as well as the Champions League, before the start of the 2012-13 campaign, itai??i??s the manner in which the Blaugrana exited both competitions which should alarm their faithful.

Granted, Barcelona have been excellent in the first half to the season, but then again, Real Madrid didnai??i??t really have the best of starts. Furthermore, accumulating as many points as Barcelona have during that period, though unexpected, shouldnai??i??t come as a surprise. For a side that is lauded to be one of the best in history itai??i??s certainly within its capabilities to accomplish such a spectacular start. But thereai??i??s always a trade-off, a concession in some areas.

During the first 4 to 5 months of the 2012-13 campaign Barcelona displayed some wonderful (attacking) football, at the expense of solid defending. In a way it was a throwback to Johan Cruyffai??i??s Barcelona of the 90ai??i??s where the maxim used to be to outscore the opponent. Conceding 3 goals is acceptable as long as the Blaugrana can score at least one more.

Itai??i??s an approach that works most of the time, especially in La Liga where teams are less inclined to park the bus as they do, say, in Italy. Barcelona embodies the ideal of Spanish football ai??i?? itai??i??s technical to a fault. Still, this Blaugrana side in particular is built for La Liga, and in turn the Spanish Primera Divison plays to Barcelonaai??i??s strengths. Apart from Real Madrid, and to a lesser extent their city rivals Atletico, Barcelona have no real opponents in La Liga. Thatai??i??s not to suggest that La Liga is a league of lesser quality, but itai??i??s less unpredictable than the German Bundesliga.

La Liga used to be a lot more competitive, even if Barcelona and Madrid have won the last 9 titles. Following Spainai??i??s triumph at the Euro 2008, it became fashionable to raid the Primera Division for its best talent; in addition to the duopoly of Barcelona and Madrid, clubs from abroad also began signing the stars that werenai??i??t already snapped up by La Ligaai??i??s big two.

For example, Valencia used to have no fewer than three world-class stars in David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata. The two Davids left Los Che in 2010 while Mata followed suit just a year later. Hence, Barcelonaai??i??s achievement must be taken with a taken with a pinch of salt. The Blaugrana accomplished their “record” in what is probably the weakest field in a decade, if not more.

Beating the best Real Madrid side in history on their way to La Liga? Please.

Itai??i??s a long-distance bout at best. How many times does Barcelona play Madrid in La Liga during the course of a season anyways? Twice, exactly two times.

And the Clasico is usually the title-deciding tie; whoever wins the clash is likely to capture La Liga at the end of the season, even more so since Pep Guardiola was first made Barcelonaai??i??s manager in 2008. But this season was the exception to the rule, and indicative of Barcelonaai??i??s performance against big teams in general.

The Blaugrana failed to win against Real Madrid, drawing at the Camp Nou, and losing to the Merengues at the Santiago Bernabeu. Yet Barcelona were still crowned the champions of La Liga weeks ahead of the conclusion of the season.

By declaring Madridai??i??s 2012-13 outfit the best in their history, Tito Vilanova, and whoever buys into it, effectively try to enhance the value of the championship, since Barcelona flattered to deceive outside of La Liga.

It wouldai??i??ve taken a collapse of epic proportions for Barcelona to surrender their massive 15-point advantage accumulated in December. Even if the Blaugrana had lost both fixtures against their principal rivals (Atletico and Real Madrid) in the second half of the Primera Division campaign, they still wouldai??i??ve held a 9 point cushion for the remainder of the season. To put that into some context ai??i?? over the last 5 years the Blaugrana have lost 4 games on average in a La Liga campaign.

Therefore Barcelonaai??i??s exploits in the Champions League are nothing short of underwhelming, even if the Catalan side qualified for a sixth consecutive semi-final.

The main culprit for Barcelonaai??i??s shortcomings is Tito Vilanova. Of course thereai??i??s the sentiment that the Blaugrana were having a spectacular first half in the ongoing 2012-13 season before Barcelonaai??i??s manager left for New York to undergo cancer treatment. To a certain degree one is inclined to agree. However, nobody forced Vilanova to (literally) monitor Barcelonaai??i??s training from afar via webcams, or relay formations, tactics and in-game substitutions to his no. 2, Jordi Roura, via WhatsApp.

Nobody but Tito Vilanova made that call, or instant message for that matter.

Therefore Vilanova shouldnai??i??t be held to a different standard. He voluntarily made that decision himself. Labor laws wouldai??i??ve protected him had Barcelona tried to force him to manage the team in absentia. Vilanova shouldai??i??ve taken a cue from Eric Abidal and recused himself from his responsibilities until he was fully recovered.

It all adds up to support the notion that Tito Vilanova didnai??i??t want to forfeit control over Barcelonaai??i??s squad under any circumstances. Thus he should be held accountable for Barcelonaai??i??s pathetic displays in the Champions League. Apart from the return leg against AC Milan, the Blaugrana didnai??i??t convince against any opponent in Europe. Even worse, Barcelona only advanced to the semi-finals, and past Paris Saint-Germain ai??i?? a team under construction ai??i?? only due to the away goal rule.

Still, the absolute low-point in Tito Vilanovaai??i??s managerial career has been the aggregate 7-0 battering courtesy of Bayern Munich at semi-final stage. Barcelonaai??i??s starting XI is at least on par with Bayern Munich; therefore itai??i??s somewhat inexplicable how the Blaugrana were humiliated not once, but twice.

Itai??i??s obvious Tito Vilanova is a novice, but he isnai??i??t showing any signs of improvement, let alone minor adjustments.

Something that is exemplary for Vilanova ai??i?? he doesnai??i??t like change, his selection(s) suggest as much. He rarely if ever rests his key players. In addition, heai??i??s also rather inept at adjusting his tactics in a match. Look no further than the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. It took Vilanova more than 80 minutes and four goals to make his first and only substitution of the game ai??i?? a forward for a forward at that.

Consequently matching Real Madridai??i??s 100 point haul is the only feat Tito Vilanovaai??i??s Barcelona can accomplish to deflect from his and the Blaugranaai??i??s shortcomings in the 2012-13 season.

Barcelona may have won La Liga with a record advantage, but it hasnai??i??t been solely because of their own brilliance. Moreover, Barcelona have regressed, particularly against big(ger) opponents. Who wouldai??i??ve thought that the Blaugrana would become a flat-track bully? Spectacular against minor opposition, underwhelming against better teams (Celtic? Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich).

100 points may look amazing, but in truth itai??i??s a consolation prize in a disappointing season when attaining more success was definitely achievable.