View from the opposition: Barcelona

Four months into the season, what have you made of Barça’s start?

“We’ve definitely made a good start, despite a few bumps along the way due to injuries to key players. If you look at Barcelona’s results so far this term and compare them to last season, you have to say they’re very good, given that besides being unbeaten and top of the group in the Champions League, Luis Enrique’s side are also clear at the summit of La Liga on 30 points, four ahead of Atletico and six in front of Real, who they thrashed in Saturday’s Clasico at the Bernabeu.

“Barça had four points fewer at the same stage last season, meanwhile, losing their Week 10 match to Los Blancos and suffering a defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. So, there are a lot of positives from the start of the season, despite Luis Enrique losing Messi for several weeks and Rafinha for the whole season.”

How have the new summer signings settled in?

“Based on what I hear from the dressing room, the two major new signings, Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal are training well at Ciudad Deportiva and gelling well with the team ahead of January, when the FIFA ban will end and they will be able to play in competitive matches. Luis Enrique is very good at managing new additions. Last season, for instance, he was able to get the best out of a side that had been playing on auto-pilot for several years, whilst bedding in seven new signings. He did all that by leaving his tactical imprint on the team during a campaign that ended with the treble, following the capture of La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.”

Who has been Barcelona’s most consistent player so far?

“I’d have to go for Neymar at this moment in time, as he’s inspired the team over the past two months in the absence of Messi. He’s struck 12 goals in 14 league games and two in four Champions League matches, proving he can step up when the Argentine is missing.

"His partnership with Suarez is unstoppable and the pair have contributed 23 of Barcelona’s 29 league goals and five of their 10 in the Champions League. Neymar has also shown himself to be a leader in the dressing room, which this season might have missed a veteran like Xavi since his move to Qatar. They needed strong characters in there.”

What has been Barcelona’s best performance of the season and why?

“Before Saturday, I would have said the 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on 12 September. Now I have to choose the 4-0 win at the Bernabeu on Saturday. It was an unexpected display of dominance against Los Blancos and at their place too. Neymar and Suarez continued their incredible run, once again demonstrating their vital role for Barcelona in the absence of Messi, who could be fit for Roma, however.”

What has been the worst match and what went wrong?

“The first leg of the Spanish Super Cup where Barcelona lost 4-0 to Athletic at the San Mames. There are several factors which explain that defeat. First and foremost, fatigue. The side had played Sevilla in the European Super Cup just three days earlier, winning 5-4 after extra time at the end of a very tiring contest.

“Secondly, perhaps because of the match in Tbilisi, Luis Enrique made lots of changes for the Athletic game, perhaps too many. The coach picked a drastically different side to the one three days earlier, selecting new players in every area of the pitch. ter Stegen was in goal, Vermaelen and Bartra played centre-back, Mascherano and Sergi Roberto joined Rafinha in midfield and Pedro started up front. The game was very even in the first period, until it turned on a ter Stegen mistake which gave the Basque outfit the victory.”

Which area of the team has been the strongest so far and which has been the least effective?

“The defence has definitely underperformed this season, with Barcelona shipping lots of goals, especially in La Liga. They have conceded 12 in as many matches, compared to Atletico Madrid’s six against, for example. That said, Luis Enrique has very rarely had his first-choice backline available, apart from in the last few matches, where Barcelona have turned it around, including in the game against Real.

“Bravo was injured at the start of the season, Pique was banned for four matches and Dani Alves wasn’t fit. With the team at full strength over the last four games, the team has only conceded once.

“The forward line has been brilliant since the start of the season, however. That’s without Messi, who was unavailable for two months, as I said earlier. The Neymar-Suarez pairing is absolutely flying and the other guys picked alongside them in place of Messi in Luis Enrique’s 4-3-3 are performing well. It’s no surprise Barcelona have the best attack in La Liga and one of the best in the Champions League.”

From what you’ve seen of all the teams in this year’s Champions League, which side has impressed you the most so far?

“I must confess, no one side has impressed or excited me more than anyone else. On the other hand, I have been disappointed with a few teams, above all Sevilla from the Spanish contingent and Chelsea in terms of foreign sides. Of course, such is their history and squad strength, they remain one of the main challengers in the Champions League, along with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.”

What have you made of Roma’s start to the season?

“I think the Giallorossi have played the most exciting football in Italy so far this term. Ironically, in terms of the quality of their play in all competitions, Roma’s match against Barcelona at the Olimpico was their performance I enjoyed the least. That match was too physical and nor did Luis Enrique’s team play good football. Besides Florenzi’s strike, neither Roma nor Barcelona impressed me. The only blot on Roma’s copybook this season – in the Champions League, not domestically – has been their slightly shaky defence, especially in the games in Borisov and Leverkusen.”

Who is the Roma player most Barcelona fans fear?

“In terms of experience, I’d say De Rossi who, along with Totti, is highly regarded in Spain. Given his current form over the early part of the season, however, I’d say Florenzi is the man we should be wary of on Tuesday. Regardless of that piece of skill he produced in the reverse fixture at the Olimpico, he’s playing excellently. He’s a versatile player who can contribute further forward from right-back. He really is a crucial player.”

If you could add one Roma player to Barcelona, who would you pick and why?

“Although he won’t play on Tuesday night, I’ll go with Salah. He’s very quick and his game is very suited to Barcelona’s style of play. Out of everyone, the Egyptian is the player who interests me the most, as he’s still young.”

What’s your score prediction for Tuesday?

“Barcelona will obviously go for the win, as will Roma I believe, given where they are in the group. After the result in Saturday’s Clasico against Real, Barcelona might take a draw, as that would mathematically seal qualification to the last-16. Of course, it’s never easy to play at the Nou Camp and Luis Enrique’s side start as favourites. Leaving aside Tuesday’s game, in all honesty I hope both the Blaugrana and Giallorossi make it through.”