End of an Era at Barcelona

By: Daryl | May 8th, 2008

Wednesday was an unhappy night for Barcelona. In a semi-low key El Clásico at the Bernabéu, Barcelona’s players had to give newly crowned champions Real Madrid a guard of honour. And then they lost 4-1.

Samuel Eto’o missed the game through suspension after picking up a yellow in the 6-0 win over Valencia last Sunday, and it’s been suggested he got carded on purpose, so as to miss last night’s game. Cowardly if he did, but remember that Eto’o famously shouted “Madrid, cabron, saluda al campeon” (do your own translations) into a microphone at the Nou Camp after Barca won the title in 2005, so no wonder he wasn’t keen to be part of Madrid’s guard of honour.

And following the embarrassment at the Bernabéu, the worst kept secret in Spain was made official. Frank Rijkaard is leaving Barcelona and will be replaced by playing legend and current B team coach Pep Guardiola next season.

It’s a sorry end to a job well done for Rijkaard. He took over a not particularly impressive team in 2003, but put together the magnificent attacking trio of Samuel Eto’o, Deco and Ronaldinho to produce some brilliant football, back to back La Liga titles in 2005 and 2006 and a Champions League win in 2006. Ronaldinho’s golden years which we all so fondly remember, were also Frank Rijkaard’s golden Barcelona years. Whoever thought it would end with Barcelona applauding Madrid at the Bernabéu and then capitulating 4-1?

But the last two season have seen a breakdown in team spirit, loss of form (and an increase in waistband) for Ronaldinho and reports of cliquey dressing room rifts. Possibly the addition of Theirry Henry, the rise to prominence of Leo Messi, and the promise of players like Bojan Krkic have lead to too many stars and too many egos in one dressing room.

But Guardiola takes over a team loaded with talent, so a few smart moves in the transfer market (less playmakers, more defenders) should set Barcelona straight again. And so let’s try not to remember Rijkaard as the coach who lost control of the locker room. Let’s remember him as the man who produced two seasons of magnificent attacking football.