Excitement was high for Barca’s opening Champions League match against Monaco.
Hansi Flick has led this group to an unbeaten run to start the season, plenty of veterans were undergoing a bit of a resurgence, and young stars were tightening their grip on the team’s identity.
Monaco wasn’t an easy opponent by any means, but based on the way Barca have been playing, they were expected to walk away with a nice opening win to start the Champions League.
So let’s see how Barca fared, shall we?
First half
Well, take what I said and just shove it down the toilet.
We all saw what happened during the opening stages of the match. Ter Stegen laid an awful, awful, awfuk, awwwwfulll pass to Eric Garcia while trying to play out the back.
The pass was deflected, Garcia then had to scramble to get back into the play, he committed a foul on the last man, then was sent off with a straight red. We’ll talk more on Ter Stegen continuously crapping on his own club later on, but because of the red card, Barca never got into a groove until later on.
This was evidenced even more when Monaco scored the game’s opening goal, as Ter Stegen was beat at his near post for the forty millionth time as a Barca keeper.
He even laid out his iconic statue pose to go along with the goal.
1-0 was the score, but there was some hope injected a short time later, with Lamine Yamal cutting inside, striking the ball with his left foot, and sliding it past Monaco’s keeper near post to draw the match level.
This goal came during a time when Barca were looking a little lost as well. Space had opened up and Monaco were taking full advantage of it, leaving Barca with no choice but to sit back and defend, while patiently waiting for their attacking opportunities.
But Yamal’s goal brought a sense of calm, something this team really needed during these times of chaos.
Barca were then level at 1-1, with an entire second half to go and a chance to steal a win while playing with 10 men. Monaco had played well, but Barca’s recent form gave many the optimism they had wanted.
Onto the second half we go.
Second half
The second half was a bit of a blur.
Barca and Monaco both had some chances, but in the end it was Monaco who converted on theirs and gave themselves a 2-1 lead with just over 18 minutes and stoppage time to go.
Now normally I don’t show opposing goals, but there’s gonna be a change for this one. Because it was once again Ter Stegen, who put on a pitiful display of goalkeeping.
Now these shots are admittedly hard to stop. But if you’re playing for a club as big as this one, donning a badge as impactful as this one, you need to make this save.
The big rivals in Madrid have a keeper who consistently makes these saves, bigger clubs around Europe have keepers that make these saves. Why doesn’t Barca have a keeper that can make these saves?
It’s maddening, absolutely maddening.
Barca ended up losing 2-1, all due to Ter Stegen’s horrific mistakes at the back and his poor shot stopping in clutch situations. Onto
Villarreal on Sunday.
Final word
How many more times does this club have to see Ter Stegen completely crumble in the Champions League? How many times will they have to see it until they realize it’s time to move on and find a keeper that can stop shots, that doesn’t make terrible mistakes out the back, that actually has a spine and isn’t prone to making terrible mistakes that loses games?
I’m quite frankly getting sick of it.
We’ve watched Ter Stegen embarrass this club year after year, big match after big match, but the club just doesn’t want to let go of their little German baby. It’s ridiculous and it needs to stop, immediately.
I don’t care how much Catalan fans love him, I don’t care if the board loves him, he needs to leave and he needs to leave as soon as possible. Barca should be back in the 1-1 rule soon, hopefully that is. And when they are, one of the main priorities needs to be finding a replacement for this embarrassment of a captain, keeper, and club representative.
In the past, Barca were able to roll out the financial issues excuse, but not this time, not on my watch.
He needs to go, no ifs ands or buts about it.
He needs to go and if you don’t think the same, you’re part of the problem.
Get him gone, now.
Barca’s next match
Barca’s next match will be on Sunday against Villarreal.
See you all then!
I’ve been a big time Barca fan since I was 14 years old. I love the club, the history, and the tradition that the club has built over its prestigious history. Forca Barca!
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