The new holy trinity - Barcelona's Ballon d'Or trio of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi deliver the performance of a lifetime

The little triplets define Barca; Pep Guardiola's team could not exist without la Masia graduates. On Saturday they delivered a career-defining display

COMMENT
By Peter Staunton

Inculcated in a farmhouse called la Masia and poured like liquid gold into the Barca mould. Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi are the epitome, the culmination, of the cantera system. A triumph for patience over knee-jerk solutions off the pitch, a triumph for patience over alacrity on it. Three generations of youth team graduates, playing under a fourth, fortifying the best club team the world has to offer.

"This award is a triumph for the cantera and for the philosophy of the club", Xavi said in January when he, Iniesta and Messi were nominated for the Ballon d'Or. If Barcelona's 'mes que un club' rhetoric can become galling for ardent critics, then these three remind the football world at large that inside the domineering, corporate behemoth beats a local heart. And it beats pum, pum, pum, just like their football. Win it back, play it quickly. It repeats over and over again. An utter adherence to the methods instilled from an early age.

The deliberation, the technique, the mode of thought are all as good as innate. Stitched into the sinews of the players like they themselves are stitched in the tapestry of the club. This Barcelona team could not exist without the presence or influence of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi. The players could not flourish like they do at Barca anywhere else. The club and the individuals were made for each other. The perfect fit. The perfect outcome

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New Holy Trinity | Xavi, Iniesta & Messi were at the centre of everything at Wembley

Three ages of men; three very different performers but one no less effective than the others. A triumvirate of desire, skill and success. The new holy trinity. Xavi has the influence; Iniesta the decisiveness. Messi has the two together.

In the Champions League final, which should come to be regarded as the quintessential Barcelona performance in a season which included a 5-0 whitewash of Real Madrid, the trio confirmed their status as complementary perfection. Assuredness and vitality in every aspect of their play. Very few mistakes. Even fewer unnecessary flourishes. Plenty of short passes and teamwork. A hub around which the Cules mechanism could turn.

Xavi made the opening goal for Pedrito, Messi scored one and made another for David Villa. Iniesta orchestrated much in between. Teams even as good as Manchester United do not and cannot have a remedy for football or expression like that; it takes 10 years or more.

"The deliberation, the technique, the mode of thought are all as good as innate. Stitched into the sinews of the players like they are stitched in the tapestry of the club itself."


In other sports, Manny Pacquiao, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods, in their heydays, paint the competition in an amateur, pitiful hue. It is apparent that Barcelona are football's answer to that might. This holy trinity stuff has been mooted before. Sacchi's Milan had Rijkaard, Van Basten and Gullit. Busby's Manchester United had Best, Law and Charlton.

Pep's Barcelona are better and so is their trinity.

FEEDBACK...

On Facebook and Twitter there was a mixed response to Peter's comments. Kolawole John Olusegun was in full agreement. "These three names are what make up Barcelona. No other players can be compared to them."

But others thought it was a team effort. Lawrence Chineme was one of them. "No, I disagree. The 11 Barca players were the stars of the game, they played like their lives were on the line. Good job Barca, you are truly the best team in the world."

Charles Good Junior agrees with Lawrence: "It is a fair comment, however the whole team was brilliant. Pedro, Sergio, Alves, everybody played so well. Indeed, this is the greatest squad ever in Catalunya. Till death, it's Barca. Long live FCB, long live the beautiful game, soccer."