FC Barcelona: 6 Bold Predictions for Barcelona's 2011-12 Season

Barcelona enjoyed a campaign to remember in 2010-11.

A near perfect La Liga season and title was accompanied by the most sought after trophy in European club football today, the Champions League.

The arrival of Alexis Sanchez from Udinese has further strengthened an already impressive Barcelona first team squad with Cesc Fabregas likely to join him.

Yet the 2011-12 could prove the biggest test of Barcelona's mettle with the world watching on as Pep Guardiola's team attempts to cement its place as the greatest of the modern era.

With that in mind, here a six bold predictions for the coming campaign. 

Frustration at Barcelona for Javier Mascherano

Javier Mascherano may have played an integral role in the victorious Barcelona side of last season's Champions League final, but a couple of months on, things may well have already changed.

As Mascherano himself admitted in a recent interview, "I only got my chance in the big games because of what happened with Puyol and Abidal."

Indeed, the Argentine endured weeks of frustration as he failed to break into Pep Guardiola's midfield plans and only enjoyed an extended run in the side following the injury and illness of Carlos Puyol and Eric Abidal, playing in central defence.

Now, with the pair back in contention, Mascherano's days in the Barcelona defence look numbered.

Moved back into midfield, Mascherano will face the same freeze out as last season, with coach Pep Guardiola likely to stand by the trio of Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets.

Mascherano will also face renewed competition from the likes of Ibrahim Afellay, Seydou Keita and exciting youth prospect Thiago Alcántara.

Add to this the potential arrival of a certain Cesc Fabregas at the Nou Camp, and the often temperamental Argentine could well be seeking a move away from the Barcelona before long. 

José Mourinho Will Silence the Nou Camp Faithful

Barcelona's 5-0 defeat of Real Madrid at the Nou Camp last season will undoubtedly live long in the memory for fans of the Catalan club.

However, they are likely to live on forever in the mind of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho as the heaviest defeat ever inflicted on a side managed by "the Special One."

Yet it is at times like these that it is important to remember just why the Portuguese coach has earned his special reputation as a master tactician and more importantly conquerer of Barcelona.

At Chelsea, his tactical nous saw the Londoners eliminate a Ronaldinho inspired Barca side in their pomp and let us not forget his success against the Catalans with Inter Milan back in the 2009-2010 Champions League.

A studious football thinker and careful analyser of matches, Mourinho will have undoubtedly studied tapes of the defeat to Barcelona and may already be hatching a plan for their demise.

With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mezut Ozil and Gonzalo Higuain to call on as match winners, do not be surprised to see Real Madrid and Mourinho silence the Nou Camp crowd this season.

After all, in five games, they only lost twice to Barcelona and won one with the Copa Del Rey final.

Carlos Puyol to Call Time on His Playing Career With Barcelona This Season

When Carlos Puyol came on with two minutes to go against Manchester United in last season's Champions League final, a small minority whispered that it could be his last game for the Catalan club.

The Barcelona stalwart had endured a couple of difficult seasons with the club, due to a series of niggling injuries which seriously reduced his playing time.

Should these injuries persist, coupled with any loss of form for Barcelona and Puyol could well consider retiring whilst at the top of the game, rather than enduring the kind of fall from grace witnessed with Spanish icon Fernando Hierro at Real Madrid.

At 33 years of age and with World Cup, European Championship, La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles to his name, Carlos Puyol has also won every major tournament going.

The progress of Gerard Pique coupled with the emergence of youngsters like Andreu Fontàs may well convince the defender to hang up his boots for a coaching role with the club come the conclusion of the 2011/2012 season.  

Barcelona Can't Rely on David Villa Alone: Expect a New Striker in January

Last year, Lionel Messi enjoyed a season like no other before, and his 53 goals and 24 assists in 55 games represented a phenomenal return only surpassed in goal tally by Ronaldo.

However, Barcelona could well be bolstering their attack come January. Last season, the Catalans rode their luck with form and injuries, as both Messi and David Villa enjoyed excellent form in front of goal.

Whilst Messi may have replacements ready and waiting in the form of Alexis Sanchez and even Ibrahim Afellay able to fill the supporting striker roles.

Any injury to David Villa could prove problematic though, with the Barcelona squad seemingly lacking another out and out goalscorer.

With Brazilian youngster Keirrison far from trusted by coach Pep Guardiola, a January dip into the transfer market could well be on the cards.

Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente could offer Barcelona another option up front. Tall and strong, Llorente is already an integrated member of the Spain national squad, meaning any move could prove a smoothe transition.

Barcelona Will Not Win the Champions League in 2011-2012

Ever since the birth of the Champions League as we know it, no side has successfully defended the title.

It's part of the reason why the Champions League has become such an endearing and unpredictable fixture of the European football calendar.

AC Milan may have won back to back European cups at the start of the 1990s, but that was when the tournament was a simple two-legged knock out affair, rather than the 13-game slog to the trophy we enjoy today.

Manchester United came closest in recent years, after defeating Chelsea on penalties in 2008/2009 and reaching the final against Barcelona in 2009/2010, but even then, their success in the competition came from on a combination of timing and luck.

As with any cup competition, Barcelona will need luck on their side, will need to deliver at key points during the competiton and will need key decisions to go their way.

In their last three semifinal appearances, these key decisions shaped Barcelona's progress.

Last year, the sending off of Real Madrid's Pepe at 0-0 proved pivotal. In 2010, the Catalan's saw Bojan Krkic's equaliser ruled offside in the second leg against Inter Milan. And who could forget Andreas Iniesta's last second, away-goal winner against Chelsea back in 2008/2009?

With 38 league games and 13 European encounters alongside up to 10 additional fixtures if not more, Barcelona will have their work cut out to defend the title.

Pep Guardiola Will Leave Barcelona at the End of the 2011-12

Rumours have long circulated around the Nou Camp that Pep Guardiola will leave Barcelona.

During the build up to last season's Champions League final, Barcelona insider Johan Cruyff was quoted in the Gazzetta dello Sport as suggesting the Guardiola would leave after the final

"Guardiola has worked very hard over the last few years and it wouldn't surprise me if he left independently of Saturday's result," he said "If he left, it would only be because it is very difficult to withstand certain pressures in the long term. For this reason I think he would take a year off."

Guardiola himself has been quoted in Rai Sport suggesting that the 2011-2012 season could well be his last.

"I think my time is ending here in Barcelona,” Guardiola said. "I'm fine here, but when you're at a club like this you cannot stay for too long."

“Next year will be my fourth consecutive season as coach of Barcelona. Such a club must have a lot of courage to have a coach for so long because the players get tired of coaches and vice-versa."

Whether Barcelona win silverware next season, Guardiola could well be on his way out of the Nou Camp.