Article of the Week - Where has the Tiki Taka gone Barca?

On the 21st of April, 2012, Barcelona FC was beaten by Real Madrid CF 2 to 1 at the Nou Camp with goals coming from Khedira and Cristiano Ronaldo.  An important win for Los Blancos as it put them seven points ahead of Barça making the La Liga title theirs, but Barça still had the Champions League and the Copa Del Rey to compete for.



Pep Guardiola after winning the 2011 Champions League



On the 24th of April, 2012, FC Barcelona took on Chelsea FC at the Nou Camp.  Barca was looking to make it to their eighth Champions League Final and Chelsea, to their second final in Champions League history. The atmosphere in the Nou Camp was electrifying as Barça was hoping to repeat the win over Chelsea as in the 2009 Champions League semi-final.

Andres Iniesta against Real Madrid

When the match began, Chelsea was more on the defensive foot as Barça dominated possession with flair and class.  Barça was playing mesmerizing football which resulted in two goals by Busquets and Iniesta.  As well the dramatic sending off of the Chelsea skipper, John Terry before half-time.  In the last minute of the first half, Ramires made it 2-2 on aggregate with an exquisitely taken lob.  Into the second half, Cesc Fabregas is taken down in the box by Drogba.  Penalty for Barça and the chance for Messi to put Barça back in front, but the inform Lionel Messi hit the bar.  It seemed to be ˝the Blues’ lucky day as they defended a strong attacking Barça side with only ten men.  In the dying seconds of the match, Bosingwa cleared the ball out of Chelsea´s half which fell perfectly into the path of the Spaniard striker Fernando Torres who with one touch rounded Valdes and slotted the ball home to put Chelsea into the Champions League Final.  A bitter loss for Barcelona. 

Three days later, on the 27th of April, 2012, Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola announced he would no longer be Barça's manager and that Tito Vilanova would take over. 

Seven eventful days for Barça with two losses and an even bigger loss with Pep leaving Barça.

When the 2012/13 season started, as always the first test for Barça is the Spanish Super Cup against rivals Real Madrid.  In the first leg at the Nou Camp, Barça played great football, but were missing something.  In the end, magical faints from ˝El Ilusionista˝, Andres Iniesta created the opportunity for Xavi to make it 3-2.  In the second leg at the Bernabeu, Barça were still missing something and Real Madrid won 2 to 1 winning the Spanish Super Cup 4-4 on aggregate with more away goals. 
That something that Barça was missing was the ˝Tiki Taka˝ that they displayed the last season under Pep Guardiola which would get you off your seat, beautiful and attractive football.  No doubt that Barça's football now is still beautiful and attractive, but the ˝Tiki Taka˝ is missing.  Where has the Tiki Taka gone Barça?  It seems to have gone with Pep.