Barcelona are on the wane. The dominance of the Catalans is finally coming to an end. These are some of the comments made by naysayers around the world following the Spanish club's nightmare ten days, when they lost 2-0 to AC Milan and then suffered twin defeats at the hands of Real Madrid.
Sure, in all three games, Barca were poor and a certain Lionel Messi was shackled and frustrated. However, the biggest test will come on Tuesday at the Camp Nou when Barcelona look to turn over the 2-0 deficit against Milan in the Champions League last 16 second leg.
If Barca produce a stirring comeback, it will not just be a perfect riposte to their naysayers, but will also prove that stories of their demise are a little premature.
However, if Barca fail to advance past a Milan side, which is considered by many to be the poorest, in terms of quality, in several years, then the critics will have an absolute field day.
If Barca want to have anything to play for over the next couple of months, they have to win and advance against Milan.
The La Liga title is already sealed, with a 13-point cushion over Real with a mere 11 games remaining; winning the Spanish league will almost feel like a bit of an anti-climax if they crash out of the Champions League, having already been knocked out by their biggest rivals Real in the Copa Del Rey.
Say what you want of this Barca team, it still needs a proper manager at the helm, and the absence of Tito Vilanova, undergoing cancer treatment in New York, has hurt them. Jordi Roura has been taking advice from the Barca manager, but it still isn't the same as being on the touchline during a game.
Messi is the best player in the world, and considered to be one of the greatest ever. However, after having gone missing in three of the biggest games recently, it is time for the Argentine maestro to turn it on against Milan. If Messi delivers, Barca will have a pretty good chance of advancing.
However, Milan are the team that hold all the aces. They have a 2-0 advantage and if they score a single goal at the Camp Nou, it will mean Barca need to net at least four to advance, no easy feat against a stubborn defense like Milan's.
Massimiliano Allegri's side were tactically brilliant in the first leg and they will continue to employ the same strategy against Barca -- of keeping the team compact in defense and hitting them quickly on the counter whenever in possession.
The games of the last few days have proven that Barca do not really have a Plan B, when their primary plan isn't working. At the Camp Nou, in more familiar surroundings, their tiki taka will be put to more devastating use than at the San Siro, or at least that is what they will be hoping.
Barcelona are not considered one of the greatest club teams of all-time for no reason. Tuesday against Milan, they will face one of their sternest tests in recent times and how they come out of it might just signal the end or continuation of an era.
Team News and Injuries: Barca have been boosted by the return to fitness of Xavi Hernandez, who is back in training and is expected to be in contention against Milan. There are not too many other fitness concerns and Jordi Roura should have a strong squad to pick from.
Milan will be without forwards Mario Balotelli, who is ineligible, and Giampaolo Pazzini, who picked up an injury at the weekend, meaning either youngster M'Baye Niang or former Barca man Bojan Krkic is likely to be given a start.
Expected lineups: Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Pique, Puyol, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas; Pedro, Messi, Iniesta.
Milan: Abbiati; Abate, Mexes, Zapata, Constant; Ambrosini, Montolivo, Muntari; Boateng, Niang, El Shaarawy.
Prediction: 3-1 to Barcelona, but Milan go through on away goals.