Sanchez joins the revolution

Many would say Barcelona could not get any stronger following the way they despatched of Manchester United in the 2010/11 Champions League final at Wembley. Perhaps they just have with the acquisition of Serie A’s best player, Alexis Sanchez of Udinese.

Parting with £23million for the Chilean’s services, the Catalan giants could end up paying a further £10million in add-ons.

Add to that the seemingly inevitable addition of Arsenal talisman Cesc Fabregas and the Barcs will look even more slick, pacy and silky than ever before.

Barcelona have an abundance of talent and on paper, cannot be overtaken by any of its continental challengers any time soon. But will those challengers play to the same hymn book?

Sports betting pundits will tell you that to retain the Champions League has proved to be the biggest task in club football. Not since 1990, under the old knockout format of the European Cup, has ‘big ears’ been retained.

And the fact that it has never happened as the ‘Champions League’ is testament to the premier competition in club football. Can Barcelona’s current crop, described by many as the best team to ever grace European football, buck the trend and make history?

Looking ahead, they’re bound to face stern tests from two sides in particular.

Two sides who have somewhat unhappy managers and somewhat talented sides themselves.

Of course, these two sides were those who were conquered in last season’s semi-finals and final.

Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid and Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.

Mourinho is desperate to live up to his tag as the ‘special one’ at the Bernabeu and to do so he needs to prise the La Liga trophy away from the Camp Nou. But if he could overturn their derby rivals in Europe too, he could go down as the best manager in the history of European football.

Ferguson is Britain’s greatest manager. He may well have edged closer to retirement had his team not been played off the park by Barca at Wembley, but expect that comprehensive defeat to spur him on even further to taste European glory once more.

Ferguson is a winner, as is Mourinho. I, along with many placing sports bets, expect one of them to go into folklore by slaying the Goliath that is FC Barcelona in Europe this season.

Related posts:

1. Mourinho looks for instant impact at Real Madrid
2. Will Premier Four go far?
3. Is the Champions League the weakest it has ever been?
4. Real v Barca midweek clash to enlighten Champions League punters
5. Are Barcelona Even Stronger in 2010-11?