The Barcelona Complex

Cruyff > Guardiola >Messi. Despite Kuper's attempt to build up Barcelona as more than a club before it's recent fall, it's a bit rose-tinted and misses the context of how every other big club also transformed with the influx of mega TV and IP revenue streams since the 80's. It's actually not even just football, but most professional sports that have seen the rise of player power and boardroom's enslaved to marketing-driven agendas. Sure Barcelona's essence might be unique in the terms of Cruyff-ian legacy the Kuper extolls, but it was always just a club even if that 2008 - 2009 side played the greatest football we'll ever see.