As I watched Barcelona games this season I noticed that they weren't playing like they use to. For some reason I couldn't shake the feeling when people predicted landslide victories, that it just wasn't like that anymore. In my mind those were the old days at Barcelona. But the question I keep asking myself was "what changed, what happened?". As a Barcelona fan I feel like I have been spoiled by greatness, maybe that's just me, and when I don't see them performing at their usual sublime best. I start with theories. The one theory of mine that made the most since was barca's over reliance on Lionel Messi.

I feel that Messi's role this season has become much, much greater. Xavi and Iniesta to me haven't been as productive as in the past, and with David Villa out for the season that didn't help things. So really what I'm saying is Messi has been expected to do way too much, and when a team is good at covering him, those are the games Barcelona lose. Barcelona as a whole scored 105 goals, I believe, this season; in which Messi has scored 68 of them and assisted 28 (if I'm right I may be off by one or two). To me the numbers speak for themselves, they have been way to reliant on Leo Messi. This has been the difference in why they didn't perform as well against AC Milan and Chelsea in the Champions League, I believe, it is because these two teams were good enough at covering Messi that it shut barca down. I'm sure with Villa back next season and a nice relaxing break, Barcelona will certainly be back to their better days next season.