In the essential book Fever in the stands, Nick Hornby narrates the epics of his Arsenal. You have to go back to the late 80s when the Gunner team, today the leader in the Premier League, also fought for the title and did so systematically with the label of boring, boring (boring, boring) Arsenal. The summary of the game used to be one-nill (1-0) for the London team, nothing to do in terms of aesthetics with the one later driven by the more sophisticated Arsène Wenger. But that rudimentary group came out champion because it made a virtue of necessity and its limitations. Where magic did not reach him, work reached him. Well, that is what Barcelona has been doing this season both in the League, which leads with seven rental points, and in the Cup, where they took a step towards the final by winning at the Bernabeu, of course, by 0- 1.
It is the most repeated result this campaign in victories carried out by the Barcelona fans. Barça has won up to nine games 1-0 (three times) or 0-1 (six).
Defending is no longer a sin in Barcelona with a team that is characterized above all by its ability to sacrifice, except in Almería, and by its framework when it comes to tying up the rival. In 20 of the 35 games of the campaign he has left Barcelona with a clean sheet. The more difficulties Xavi's men are finding to generate play, the more they are trying to solidify themselves. It is the way to survive and gain time while waiting to recover props like Pedri or Dembélé, capitals to apply fantasy and overflow to football for Xavi's men.
Extreme circumstances occurred at the Bernabeu on Thursday, never seen before in Xavi's Barça or in those that preceded him until memory reaches. Only 35% possession, many minutes locked up on the edge of his area and hardly stringing together combinations with the ball. On the other hand, without the ball they prevented Real Madrid from maneuvering clearly, who was left without shooting between the sticks at the Bernabeu, another shocking fact.
Where Messi, Neymar or Luis Suárez were at the time, there are now Araújo or Koundé as the foundations of a project that preaches signature football but that fills the day to day as best it can. It's not that Barça doesn't care, and even less under Xavi's leadership, the style of play, but it has freed itself from the dictatorship of having to go out in a certain way if there are world figures or footballers who don't make so many differences. "This time we can't be proud of how," Xavi conceded after the game.
What is certain is that if Barça always plays like they did at the Bernabeu, they will not make their fans happy, but if from time to time they know how to stay on their feet in adverse circumstances, those same fans will give them a standing ovation. Philosophy does not always rule. Mathematics also exist.
