UCL 2018/2019: Five things Barcelona must do to win the Champions League

#2 Diversify their play

The maestros of the tiki-taka style have departed Camp Nou

Over the last decade, Barcelona earned a reputation of being masters of a possession-based style of play prioritizing usage of space and ball retention skills over other skill sets such as speed and strength. Although long in the Barca DNA, this pattern of play came to prominence when the club was under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola, and the Catalan guided them to the most successful period in the club's history, winning 16 trophies in the space of four seasons.

The club defeated all and sundry, passing them into submission, and at its peak, there was almost no antidote for tiki-taka, as all and sundry feel before the behemoth that was Barcelona.

In the last few seasons, the status quo has changed, with tactical evolutions coming about that have rendered the tiki-taka all but ineffective. The greatest exponents of the style Xavi and Iniesta have departed the club, and teams no longer feel as awed by Barcelona's passing as they did 10 years ago.

Their last three eliminations in the Champions League to Roma, Juventus, and Atletico respectively all came about in matches where Barcelona bossed possession stats but failed to fashion any real threat at the opposition goal. And if the club is to move ahead, they have to find a way to alternate their playing pattern just like their former manager Guardiola did, if not, it would be another season of heartbreak for the Blaugrana.