This episode was termed as the identity of how cruel the competition can be. Barcelona had more than 85% of possession, 555 passes completed compared to Inter’s 67, that signifies their sheer dominance in those 90 minutes which came to absolute nothing at the final whistle only due to the defensive discipline the Italians maintained. The defending champions panicked by the sheer lack of opportunities, while Inter just fought for survival which was somehow more important on that day than qualifying for the final.

The defensive stubbornness from Mourinho’s side, the ‘Never Say Die’ spirit from Manchester United, the unparallel amount of patience from Barcelona or the indomitable approach from AC Milan and Chelsea; these attributes aren’t imbibed overnight. Talent will always be necessary but there are many indispensable factors or call it ‘checkpoints’ on the road leading towards to those elusive honors. Let us discuss those five important checkpoints on the road to victory.

Trust and stability

Trust is the adhesive which keeps the team together even in their worst moments. For champions, faltering is never an option. In fact, it’s not only about trusting one another but to also believe in the manager’s philosophy. One of the prime reasons of why teams like Chelsea and Real Madrid in recent years, haven’t been winners on the biggest stages. Maybe it’s due to lack of stability, a highlight of modern European football or one can call it a chain of discontinuous transitional cycles. Change of coaches, revamping the squads, just doesn’t help them. That’s why teams like Barcelona and Manchester United are still building winning squads in cycles, the distinguishing factors solely sticks to stability and immense trust. No doubt, Villas Boas and his compatriot Mourinho are enjoying some backing from the owners unlike their predecessors. Probably they do realize that football is more than just about the transfer windows.

Momentum

Analyze any winning unit in the Elite leagues and you’ll find an unstoppable series of favorable results when it matters the most. From January to the month of May, all you require is momentum, the ideal ammo to strike hard when it’s required the most. It can help you earn valuable points out of nothing, at times even when you’re playing below par. It’s the belief, the positivity, the one of many products of momentum that can work in your favor when the chips are down.

Complacency

If someone asks me, ‘where would you like your team to be in January?’ the answer would be in the chasing pack. Pundits may tell you that it’s always difficult to hold on to a lead for a long time as complacency can creep in any team. Underestimating your opponent is the biggest crime in football, and days like those can certainly make you pay big time! Teams without a plan B are always termed as under-prepared, as you never know how the opposition would react on a given day. United, recently underestimated Crystal Palace and were knocked out of the competition. Sir Alex complained of laid-back approach from his boys, which is unacceptable from the top sides. But then, United haven’t really played their very best from the past two years, and even their most optimistic fans will accept that.

Fear of failure

Human beings sometimes falter under pressure. When that happens, we say variously that people have “panicked” or, to use the sports colloquialism, “choked.” Both words signify the biggest obstacle a footballer has to get rid of, but still ‘choking’ and ‘panicking’ are two different types of failures. Teams choke on the biggest of occasions, like Arsenal in the final of the Carling Cup which ruined their complete season. A unit chokes, when they’ve never experienced the atmosphere, the kind of pressure or the fear of failure before. The team or certain individual suddenly doubts his own abilities and hence, provides a chance to the opposition to make a comeback. On the other hand, ‘panicking’ is due to mere lack of ideas because you are no more in control of the game, you suddenly looked under-prepared. Late dismissals, abuses are all counter products of being in a ‘panic’ mode, where there is absolutely no way out. Both of them inflict a fatal blow to one’s title hopes, a pair of mental handcuffs that can only let you down and out.

The final leap

Well now one can certainly assume that only very few of them actually make way through the above four checkpoints, and if you think that things get easier when it’s that very last step to success, then well think again!

Those are the moments the very best of teams crave to be a part of. The great teams from Ajax Amsterdam, Arrigo Sacchi’s AC Milan, the all conquering Liverpool sides of 70’s and 80’s or even the modern juggernauts from Guardiola, Mourinho and Sir Alex, all of them have reserved their scintillating football for those finals which made them immortal on the glorious pages of footballing history. You just cannot afford to lie down nor can be over zealous as its about the calmest mind that more often wins deservingly, everything else at times, is ignorable.

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