Lionel Messi admits that there is a simple trick he tries when the going gets tough and the game is slipping away. He looks for Andres Iniesta and says: "come closer." On Wednesday night, as Real Madrid overran Barcelona, he couldn't -- Iniesta was 600 km away, injured -- and, when the league campaign begins on Sunday evening at home to Betis, he won't be able to either. Messi won't see his teammate unless he glances to the stands. Nor will he see Luis Suárez, who has a knee problem. And as for Neymar, he's in Paris, of course. As he looks around, Messi might well think: "You're on your own, pal." He might even think: "You're going to have to do this all by yourself." And while it might not be the first time, while it might work and while Messi is, well, Messi, that's about the worst thing a footballer can think. Worse still: the rest of the Barcelona players may well be thinking much the same. Natural, perhaps -- after all, even Neymar and Suárez deferred to him -- but not always helpful. As for the opposition, they'll also be aware; it's easier to work out which of the MSN you have to worry about when only M is there. Read more http://www.espnfc.us/club/barcelona...emains-and-is-more-important-than-ever-before
