The great inequalities between Chelsea and Barcelona

Posted Wednesday, February 07, 2018 by Marca.com

If the Champions League encounter between Chelsea and Barcelona would be played now, the Blaugrana would have the upper hand as they are enjoying a fantastic run of form whilst the Blues are immersed in a crisis that could end with the dismissal of their coach in the coming days.

The inequalities between one team and the other, at this stage of the season, are obvious, and here are some good reasons to believe in a Barça success.

The coaches

In Barcelona it is time for wine and roses, while at Stamford Bridge the atmosphere gets worse every week.

To the point that the position of Antonio Conte is almost untenable.

Bookmakers in England are already giving odds for his possible replacement, and former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is the best placed in the forecasts.

Ernesto Valverde, on the other hand, only accumulates praise, and his position is so strong that it allows him to rotate untouchables like Luis Suarez and Messi without anyone daring to question decisions that would have generated huge controversy at other times.

The defence

Valverde's Barcelona are more solid than ever in this aspect.

The high pressure and the great individual moments of defensive bastions like Umtiti and Ter Stegen make the Blaugrana as safe as a team could be, and like few others in world football at this time.
Chelsea's back line, until not long ago the great weapon of Conte's team, has collapsed in the last few matchdays.

The west London side have conceded seven goals in the last two games and await with concern the definitive diagnosis on Andreas Christensen.

He could miss the match due to injury, but has been Chelsea's best defender.

The great inequalities between Chelsea and Barcelona

The attack

To this day, the doubts surrounding Chelsea's attack multiply.

Alvaro Morata still doesn't know if he will be able to play in the European duel.

His back problems are keeping the supporters and Olivier Giroud in suspense, he Frenchman being his alternative.

Only Eden Hazard will guarantee a good performance.

For Barcelona, Messi and Suarez are enjoying a record season in terms of scoring efficiency.

The stats of Chelsea and Barcelona's strikers

Leo Messi: 27 goals in 34 games

Luis Suarez: 19 goals in 31 games

Alvaro Morata: 12 goals in 31 matches

Eden Hazard: 13 goals in 35 games

The squad

The comparison between both squads right now is like night and day.

For Barcelona, the players are united and don't doubt Valverde's decisions, which has helped to keep almost all of the squad singing from the same hymn sheet.

He has also recovered players that Luis Enrique didn't use such as Vermaelen, Andra Gomes and Paco Alcacer.

All have had more minutes than expected and confirm the depth of a united team.

In London, Chelsea's footballers no longer believe in Conte's decisions, to the point of generating doubts in the players as to whether he is the right man for the job.

Trajectory in Europe

Barcelona qualified from the first phase as group winners, and without losing a single game.

Chelsea finished the group stage in second and never clearly imposed themselves on their two main rivals for a place in the knockout stages.

Atletico drew in London, as did Roma.