A loss at Barcelona is always magnified and caused a much bigger reaction than anywhere else. Two losses in a row? It has to be a crisis right? According to Andres Iniesta, who has been through plenty of highs & lows with the club, no one is hitting the panic button just yet.
So Barcelona lost to Ajax and Athletic Bilbao. They’re still in the lead of the Spanish La Liga. Even without Lionel Messi, they have Neymar and Alexis Sanchez to score goals. Gerardo Martino might be inexperienced in European football, but it’s hard to say he doesn’t know a single thing about football, or that he’s clueless on how to help Barcelona regain their winning form. At least it’s too soon right now.
Iniesta just picked up the attacking midfielder of the year award in the official La Liga awards ceremony, while Lionel Messi picked up the player of the year and forward of the year awards. Ronaldo won the league’s MVP, an award they invented especially for him so he wouldn’t sulk. While it’s not enough to put Iniesta in a great mood considering the pressure Barcelona are in, there doesn’t seem to be anyone hinting at a loss of confidence or some desperation at the Camp Nou.
There is not one iota less confidence than two weeks ago. I am a person who does not like extremes — in both good times and bad I like to see things with perspective and balance. Sometimes things do not go as you want, through nobody’s fault, but because circumstances do not allow it. In a team game there are questions for everyone, and things which can be improved. If this team is characterized for anything it is for its solidarity, its character, and nobody likes when things are going badly. There is concern when you lose but we are trying to correct things. Nobody likes to lose, to do things badly or less well, but we must have confidence in what we are doing to improve.