Brilliant Barça, emotional Messi

This Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the 'manita' Pep Guardiola's Barcelona inflicted on Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid. That game at Camp Nou was much more than a historic thrashing. It was a football exhibition without precedents. Pep's team scored five but they could have scored 10. They were completely dominant. It was an epic humiliation. 

That perfect Barça side, that functioned with the precision of a top of the range Swiss watch, no longer exists. Unfortunately. The new Barça is being built by Ronald Koeman with three survivors from 2010 (Pique, injured, Busquets and Messi) and is a long way from that level of excellence. It will be difficult to match it. But we have to give them time to keep growing and see how far they can go. 

On Sunday, for example, they showed glimpses of brilliance against Osasuna. With one piece of great news: Griezmann exists. The Frenchman, beyond his sensational goal, produced the complete performance. Perhaps the best once since he signed. Griezmann was decisive as Barça ended a bad run in La Liga (three wins in eight) and picked up a win that restored the belief of winning the title this season. 

The advantage held by Atletico Madrid (the favourites now) is big (nine points) but nothing's been decided. Especially if Koeman's team continued to improve. At Camp Nou, on an emotional day for Messi, who paid homage to Maradona (from D10S to D10S), Barça began to re-find themselves. They're still miles away from that Pep side but they have a future. Or they could. And that, keeping in mind the circumstances, is something.