Cristiano Ronaldo throws salt in the wound of the Barça in Greece (and eye to the 'papelón' of Messi)

The European day stopped in mid-air the triumphal march of Barça , who returned to gripar outside the house and in a complicated stadium. Olympiakos held more easily than expected to the azulgrana, who played again with double pivot in midfield and without Iniesta, and suffered from lack of verticality and auction. The changes in the second half did not unclog the game. The image of Ernesto Valverde's team was similar to the one exhibited a few days ago in San Mamés, but without an inspired Leo Messi.

What has been seen in Greece confirms that this Barcelona is such a practical team that the Argentine has been abandoned when it is time to make a difference . Messi executes, plays and makes play, while the rest of the team completes a correct high pressure, an acceptable circulation and occupies defensive spaces better than in previous seasons. However, all this has cost the loss of an identity that will sooner or later arouse debate in Barcelona, ​​especially if the results stop coming. Not so much for now, as this 0-0 against Olympiakos delays the classification for the second round of the Champions League, but in reality it is not serious.

Messi It is worth highlighting the '10' in a match in which he was not exactly inspired. Leo tried, but given the lack of game of his team despite the fact that Valverde put Denis Suárez to compensate for the lack of verticality of Paulinho and Busquets, he acted mostly with Luis Suárez and football generator from the playmaker , something that crashed constantly against the two lines well together of the Hellenic team. Without Messi near the area and, above all, without Messi plugged in, this Barcelona is much less Barcelona.

This azulgrana image supposes a breath of fresh air for a Real Madrid that observes very attentive from London. The game of Wembley against Tottenham, besides being decisive for the classification of the whites as first group, is a real test to know if the Zidane team is really in crisis or simply has disconnected from the season after the Super Cups. And precisely not to disconnect is what Cristiano Ronaldo wants in the league is decaffeinated, but in Europe is still a cyclone: ​​five goals in three games. Tomorrow he hopes to give a 'slap' to Leo in that sense in the maximum Continental competition.