Lack of Alternatives to Suarez, Messi and Neymar Cost Barcelona Champions League

For the fourth time in the 2015-16 season, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid fought out a hugely entertaining battle. For certainly the third and perhaps arguably the fourth time this season, Atletico were the better prepared side and the team who displayed the best balance between defence and attack.

For the first time this season, though, Atletico actually ended up as victors.

Barcelona, the reigning UEFA Champions League holders and favourites to become the first outfit to retain the trophy in its present format, suffered a 2-0 defeat on the night to exit 3-2 on aggregate at the quarter-final stage, after they became yet another side to fail to score at the Vicente Calderon.

In isolation, that statistic is neither damning nor embarrassing; Atletico have kept 19 clean sheets from 32 games in La Liga this term, plus another seven in Europe from their 10 fixtures. They have the best defence in Europe and do not give up chances easily—but Barcelona are possessed of the finest attacking trident in the game.

Or so it has been up until the past few weeks.

Since the catastrophic collapse against Villarreal three weeks ago, where Barcelona squandered a two-goal lead and drew 2-2, they have been lacking in the ability to consistently break teams down, create clear chances and, indeed, win games.

It's now just one win in five for Barcelona, and although the issue has not been limited to one particular facet of their game, it's clear they have had no alternative when the front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have been unable to seamlessly connect and find the back of the net with regularity.

"

A lot is made of Messi's apparent dip in form but what has happened to Neymar? Like carrying a spare tyre.

— Andrew Gaffney (@GaffneyVLC) April 13, 2016"

Naturally, it's easy to say that backups for three of the game's top forwards are not easy to come by, but Barcelona certainly spoke about it plenty in January. There was a very public chase of Celta Vigo's Nolito, while the likes of Dirk Kuyt was also suggested as a potential experienced target to add another goalscoring threat to the ranks.

Ultimately, they signed nobody, and the reliance on MSN increased as Sandro Ramirez was marginalised, Munir failed to regularly impact and Arda Turan has only shone in fits and starts.

Atletico Madrid's wonderfully resolute and organised defence was so deep, so compact and so determined to keep hold of their lead that the pace and close control of Neymar and Messi was utterly negated. Neither had room to work in, and it was only the odd opportunistic shot on the turn from Suarez that registered as testing Jan Oblak.

GERARD JULIEN/Getty Images

Luis Enrique, again, had limited options to change matters. There is no Pedro-type to work in the channels running in behind the defence constantly, nor is there even an Isaac Cuenca or Cristian Tello, not really of the quality to regularly play for the team but at least a much wider starting threat who will be direct and challenge the defenders one-on-one.

Barcelona perhaps can't bring in a fourth forward of the same calibre, but they certainly should have more options to change their approach than just leaving Messi deep and central, where he has been ineffective in the past few games.

"

Messi has now failed to score from open play in SEVEN consecutive games for club (5) and country (2) 👉🏻 632 minutes, more than 10 hours

— M E S S I 4️⃣9️⃣9️⃣ (@MessiStats) April 13, 2016"

Whether it's an out-and-out winger, a surging runner from midfield beyond the attacking line or a different system entirely from Luis Enrique, a reliance that the same basic approach would continue to work in every competition, every game was simply unlikely to work out over the longer term.

Barcelona have been the best club on the planet for the best part of two years, but a period of burnout or lack of success for the front three was always going to happen sooner or later.

That it comes now at the end of the campaign has eventually cost them a chance to retain their Champions League trophy and, given the lack of confidence or self-assurance on display of late, could even do more than that and cost them the chance to also retain La Liga if they don't pick up again quickly.

Follow @karlmatchett