Putting Bayern’s amazing performance aside ( #MiaSanMia), this game clearly highlighted the depth to which internal disputes and loss of playing identity have taken their toll on the once great powerhouse of European football, Barca.

Over reliance on an ageing squad and the lack of faith previously placed in youth.

Pep’s Barca was the first team of that caliber to field a starting 11 of only academy graduates.

La Masia, once the continent wide benchmark of how to coach playing philosophy right from the first team down to the grass roots, has suffered steady decline due to years of mismanagement and internal conflicts.

The irony of conceding two goals by a player you loaned out should not be overlooked.

For years Barca have been throwing around that Neymar money, throwing ideas to the wall hoping one will stick without a clear plan for the future.

And this is where I will show my hand a little.
You have a young creative and committed player in Griezmann who basically burnt all his bridges to join you. Such was his eagerness to play for Barca.

To have relegated him to the bench for the better part a season tells a story of lack of plan for incoming players.
Personal agenda: Any team that can come and rescue Griezu, s’il vous plaît. We cannot let that talent stew in the bench for free.

Sir Alex Ferguson wrote in his autobiography "I always said to the directors that the minute a player becomes more powerful than the manager of Manchester United, it's not Manchester United. You have lost control of the whole club."

Barça sits in a precarious situation where the whole is no longer greater than the sum of its parts.

IMO, not since Vilenova (R.I.P) has a manager successfully stamped his leadership in this Barça squad.

In their defense, there has never been a player like Messi so there isn’t exactly a rule book on how to see this situation out.

The Barca job has become so toxic I honestly believe if the FFP ruling has gone the other way, Barça’s best bet would have been to call Pep home.

I still think this is their best bet but who knows if Pep will be up for it after he sees out his City obligations.