How the treble dream materialised for Barcelona

Barcelona celebrate their historic treble at the Camp Nou

A breathtaking season, a season where it could all have gone wrong has proved to be a stellar season. Every tournament Barcelona have played this season, they have won. Not only were Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez on fire, but the team as a whole were.

Match report and highlights: Barcelona defeat Juventus 3-1 to win Champions League and clinch 2nd treble

Andres Iniesta’s pinpoint accuracy of passing and vision were complemented with Neymar’s dancing feet and Suarez’s goal poacher instincts. No, I have not forgotten Xavi’s commanding and inspiring presence in midfield. Although he came on as a late substitute in games and was a bit-part player, but the fans in particular have been thrilled by his presence given that the legendary influence he has in the team whenever he steps on the pitch, just like Carles Puyol before his retirement.

Or even Ivan Rakitic’s industrious displays or even their backline, though a bit frail at times but nevertheless have the ability to recover in time. Luis Enrique has done the unthinkable, he has done a Pep Guardiola by winning the treble in his first season – in spectacular fashion. Enrique’s style of football is simple, be pedestrian for periods and suddenly spring a surprise by attacking forward. His squad has the pace to do that. The quick runs almost make it difficult for the opposition to track them.

Barcelona’s 4-3-3 works wonders

Luis Enrique is thrown into the air after Barcelona win the Champions League final

His 4-3-3 formation has worked wonders with three forwards attacking from practically all sides. This attack-minded formation also provides the much-needed flexibility because it gives the full backs a real opportunity to go forward. The crosses from the flanks become easier to provide but harder to score, with the defenders crowding the people in the box. With Barcelona, even the offside trap is a problem because holding a high line leaves the goalkeeper exposed and with the pass masters present in this side, teams can be punished big time.

With the arrival of Luis Suarez, Messi shifted to the right flank, and that has worked wonders for the player himself. A striker that he is, Suarez would have been uncomfortable playing as a wide man. The diminutive Argentine revels in the role behind the forward, working his way between channels. But the three-man attacking formation has actually been beneficial because when Messi cuts into the centre, he leaves the flank vacant for Dani Alves to attack.

Even if the attack fizzles out, the counter attack can be nullified with Javier Mascherano’s brilliant slide tackles and Gerard Pique’s authoritative clearances, lofting the ball up field. This has helped Messi’s game improve given the fact that he did not have a great 2013 and even the year 2014 when in the early part of the season he was not at his very best.

Messi-Neymar-Suarez join the party in 2015

The trio of Suarez, Messi and Neymar scored 122 goals in 2014/15

Messi’s brilliance has time and again been Barcelona’s strongest point. And in 2015, with breathtaking displays in almost every game, he has showed why he is considered world class. Be it his skills in destroying Bayern Munich or Athletic Bilbao, the man from Argentina has mesmerized and amazed us all. The innumerable nutmegs and wriggling past defenders, he has provided us fans a perfect example of playing to entertain and teaching everyone to do what they love.

In the early part of the group stage of the Champions League, they struggled. Not because of Suarez’s absence, but due to the hangover of Tata Martino’s reign. The Real Sociedad defeat was the catalyst for a resurgence. Thus started MSN (Messi-Suarez-Neymar) – Enrique’s thunderbolt at his disposal. The team got better and better with each passing game and the trio were superb, eventually going on to score 122 goals this season.

It's no wonder that Messi and Neymar finished as the Champions League’s top scorers, along with Cristiano Ronaldo (10 goals each).

Barcelona are a quality ‘team’ rather than a bunch of star individuals

We cannot forget, amidst all the deserved praise for the attacking trio, the indomitable and equally formidable midfield of Barcelona. You couldn’t say enough about Iniesta’s influence but Ivan Rakitic has showed real consistency and also his desire by quickly settling into the Barca system and making his presence felt.

In the praise for the individual players, Barcelona’s road to the treble can be attributed to the fact that they were just superb. Almost the same set of players were used with Marc Bartra, Rafinha and Adriano coming in and out. MSN were regulars with the familiar backline all season and even the midfield was predictable with Iniesta, Busquets and Rakitic. This fostered a togetherness within the team where they understood each other. They all worked for the team rather than individual honours.

Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta held together Barcelona’s midfield in attack

The goalkeepers were divided, with Claudio Bravo and Marc Ander Ter-Stegen deputising for La Liga and Cup competitions respectively. Everyone who did not get an opportunity or rarely got one understood that the quality of their squad was immense and that hard work had to be put in for selection. This helped to foster togetherness and individual pursuits were put aside.

Neymar, in a press conference before the Champions League final, said that he shared a great rapport with Messi and Suarez and that they were very good friends on and off the pitch. A team sitting back and defending is not advisable at any time and, therefore, the attackers have to be in peak form and in perfect harmony. That’s where Barcelona’s secret lay. Unselfish and stylish play by their attackers has helped Barcelona this season and the trophies and the goals bear testimony to this fact.

Special praise must be reserved for Luis Suarez. After all the scandals of the World Cup and all the bans, he returned in the Clasico and after a slow start has really taken off and found his feet. He has been praised time and again by the commentators for his unselfishness in situations when he is one-on-one with the goalkeeper and a player of his class and quality will surely go for glory himself. But he squares the ball for his attacking partners and they duly take the goal. His own form has also been praiseworthy and tantalising.

The peak was at the right time, in the second half and the business end of the season, the most grueling and demanding of all. This period tests the composure of teams to keep winning and also keep up to people’s expectations. It’s easy for teams to crumble under enormous weight of expectations and to lose focus and consistency. But Barcelona did not and the amazing run in all three competitions sees them complete a second treble and firmly establishing themselves as the team to beat.