Barcelona's success or failure depends on the 'Argentinian spirit'.

Barcelona once reached the pinnacle of glory thanks to their "Argentinian flair," but now that very quality is consistently dragging them to the depths of disappointment in Europe.

Messi once brought success to Barcelona.

Barcelona's most glorious golden era in the 21st century is closely linked to the era of the Argentine superstar, Lionel Messi. This is an undeniable fact recorded in the history of world football through a series of major and minor titles.

Barcelona is now devoid of Argentinian players in the post-Messi era.

Looking back at 2015, the last time the Catalan team reached the pinnacle of glory in the prestigious Champions League, that success was decisively contributed to by Messi and another Argentinian compatriot, Javier Mascherano. If Messi led the attack, consistently scoring and assisting to decide matches, Mascherano was the cornerstone behind him, making Barcelona's defense incredibly solid and reliable.

Players from the land of Tango always possess exquisite individual technique, along with a cunning and shrewd approach to the game. These renowned qualities are the perfect pieces, acting as an invisible but invaluable catalyst for Barcelona's flamboyant attacking football philosophy to achieve maximum effectiveness on the pitch.

Since Messi tearfully bid farewell to Camp Nou in 2021, fans have witnessed a major shift in the club's personnel policy. For many years, Barcelona has been completely devoid of Argentinian players in both the starting lineup and the reserves.

The Catalan club continues its habit of recruiting talent from South America to strengthen its squad; however, their selection has shifted entirely towards players of Brazilian or Uruguayan nationality. This is clearly reflected in the club's current leadership.

The captain's armband is currently being given to Ronald Araujo, a Uruguayan center-back. Meanwhile, Raphinha, a Brazilian winger, is taking on the role of third vice-captain.

Uruguayan players always possess the passion, tenacious fighting spirit, and cunning experience of South American football. On the other hand, Brazilian players always offer superb technique, spontaneous moves, and abundant inspiration on the pitch.

However, the combination of these elements still cannot fill the vast void left by the Argentinian character.

Julian Alvarez scored a goal that caused Barcelona pain.

The vulnerability when encountering "Argentinian flair" at a crucial moment.

The lack of "Argentinian flair" is most clearly and bitterly revealed when Barcelona enters crucial, do-or-die matches. The team frequently displays immaturity, lacking the necessary composure and tenacity to finish off opponents in closely contested games.

A painful example of this occurred last year in the Champions League semi-finals. The Camp Nou side had to accept defeat against Inter Milan, a team led by a shrewd Argentinian captain. Striker Lautaro Martinez shone brightly, scoring the opening goal to set up a dramatic second leg.

Entering this season, the nightmare seems to be repeating itself more realistically than ever before. Barcelona faces a very high risk of being eliminated in the knockout round when they encounter a team that possesses an even stronger "Argentinian character" than Inter Milan. Their opponent is Atletico Madrid, a team molded by the hand of coach Diego Simeone.

In the first leg of the quarter-final, Atletico boldly fielded six Argentinian players, with four starting in the official lineup. The Tango dancers truly tormented Barcelona.

Giuliano Simeone's well-timed dive resulted in a red card for the Barcelona defender. Subsequently, another Argentinian player, Julian Alvarez, scored from a free kick to open the scoring. The cunning and superior composure of Atletico's Argentinian stars directly crushed the home team's morale.

Clearly, a Barcelona team lacking individuals with strong Argentinian DNA is becoming incredibly fragile and vulnerable. When faced with formidable Argentinian opponents, they consistently suffer heartbreaking defeats.

It will be difficult for Barcelona to think about overcoming Atletico Madrid in the second leg when they no longer have that "Argentinian spirit" in their squad.

Source: https://znews.vn/barcelona-thanh-hay-bai-deu-do-chat-argentina-post1643213.html