When Alexis Sanchez slotted the ball past Levante after just three minutes of Sunday’s opening game at Camp Nou, it was as if the close season never happened. There was an overwhelming sense of business as usual, La Blaugrana barely breaking sweat as they set themselves on the road to another easy victory.
When Lionel Messi made it two after some trademark trickery and a 22-minute four-goal salvo killed the game before half-time, the contest was over. By the time new signing Neymar appeared in a second half resembling a training session, Coach Tata Martino had virtually declared against very poor opponents.
Levante Coach Joaquin Caparros likened the experience to a visit to the dentist and criticised his men’s first-half approach, but in truth Barca simply denied them access to the ball with 80 per cent of possession in favour of the Catalans prior to the break. Caparros arrived at the Ciutat de Valencia in the summer having to assemble his squad on a shoestring of loans and free transfers following last season’s match-fixing debacle.
Barcelona were irresistible in the early stages of Martino’s first competitive game in charge on Sunday but, as well as they played, they remained largely untested against an impotent attack and a flimsy defence that surrendered with embarrassing ease. The intensity of possession was there and the deadly accurate passing had returned, but Martino will have seen few signs of how Barca will shape up against a stiffer challenge.
He nevertheless handled his stars with kid gloves, withdrawing Messi in the second half with the Argentine spending only 10 minutes on the pitch with Neymar, his new attacking partner. Part of Barca’s thinking behind the signing of Neymar was a greater directness in attack, but whether that materialises remains to be seen.
Martino will, however, have learned the value of Cesc Fabregas. The midfielder’s much-discussed departure for Old Trafford has not materialised and he was excellent against Levante, tormenting their defence with his runs from deep positions. The midfield interplay between Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez and Messi was also impressive, continually frustrating the visitors and denying them possession.
Barca’s failings last season were largely but not exclusively in defence and, with no long-term solution to the central defensive conundrum in sight, midfielder Javier Mascherano was once again deployed as a central defender. It is also unclear whether Martino yet knows who his best pair of full-backs are, particularly against a fast, pressing attack.
Dani Alves and Adriano had an easy time of it against Levante, with Jordi Alba, outstanding at times last year, on the bench. The key missing factor, however, is a replacement for Carles Puyol, not just to replace his defensive qualities but also to provide clear and visible leadership.
Barca could face a sterner defensive test tonight when they face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Supercopa de Espana. Los Colchoneros put three past Sevilla at the weekend and, even without Radamel Falcao, will provide a more accurate litmus test of what we can expect from the Catalans in the long campaign ahead.
