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Following their unexpected Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid, we examine Barcelona’s slump. Is an over-reliance on that famous forward line to blame? Adam Bate reports from the Vicente Calderon... Sergio Busquets lingered to clap the away fans in the top tier. Andres Iniesta and Jordi Alba joined him. But most of their team-mates shuffled down the tunnel. Barcelona, the defending European champions, had been vanquished by Atletico Madrid.It will have been a huge blow. For while Barcelona remain favourites to complete a domestic double, such are the expectations placed on this group of players that the season is likely to be laced with disappointment whatever happens now. Atletico eliminate Barcelona Antoine Griezmann scored twice to knock the reigning champions out of Europe. Thats the nature of it when Lionel Messi is in your side. When you have Neymar, a man whod joined him on the Ballon dOr shortlist in January. Luis Suarez didnt receive that honour but hes more than made up for it with his scoring feats this season.And yet, for all the brilliance of that formidable forward line, its Luis Enriques reliance on it thats played a part in his sides downfall. Maybe that was in the Barca coachs mind when he insisted on taking 100 per cent of the responsibility for the defeat afterwards. Luis Enrique took full responsibility for Barcelonas Champions League defeat Its funny how defeat can shift the tone. While once the goalscoring heroics of that celebrated front three were a source of wonder, the statistics now feel like a note of caution. A warning that was left unheeded.Messi, Suarez and Neymar have scored 44 of Barcelonas 53 Champions League goals since the start of last season. Thats 83 per cent. Individually spectacular but when the dip came it came collectively and Barca have suffered as a result. After a 20-game sequence in which they won 19 - the other was the drawn second leg of a Copa del Rey tie in which they were already 7-0 up - theyve now won only once in their last five. Even that was against a 10-man Atletico, a game they were losing prior to the red card. What the papers said How the Spanish press reacted to Barcas defeat Neymar looks like a man who has played too much football - no wonder he is set to skip the Copa America - and Messis goal drought has now passed the seven-hour mark. The Argentine is coming deeper and deeper in search of the ball and it has left Suarez isolated. Lionel Messi stands dejected after Atleticos second goal of the night Its now tempting to conclude that overplaying them all was folly. Barca have endured 27 games in 106 days. Thats a match every fourth day since a winter break that was barely worthy of the name given the clubs trip to Japan to contest the Club World Cup.Luis Enrique was unwilling to use that as an excuse but hell have noted too the recent international break that took all three of his forwards to South America to play a further five matches of football between them. The team hasnt looked the same since their return. Barcelona have played 12 more games than any other La Liga rival, with a front three that have not rotated, and all of a sudden they have hit a bit of a wall. Guillem Balague Barcelona have played 12 more games than any other La Liga rival, with a front three that have not rotated, and all of a sudden they have hit a bit of a wall, said Sky Sports Spanish correspondent Guillem Balague ahead of the game.The front three find themselves now having played far too many minutes when that extra gear is needed. Neymar, you can see it in his face, is struggling to find the extra gear. Lionel Messi has found in the past few weeks that physically, perhaps, he is not at his sharpest. Why are Barca struggling? A look at their recent defeat to Real Sociedad That certainly appeared to be the case on Wednesday night as Messi was content to probe and pass away without ever looking likely to provide the moment of incision himself.He has been averaging more than six dribbles per game in the Champions League over the past two seasons, but managed only three against Atletico and none of them in positions where he could hurt his opponent. Europes toughest team? Atletico Madrid were too strong for Barcelona. Maybe theyre too strong for everyone… Maybe Messi was hoping to ride this spring-time lull without too much damage being done. But when the going got tough, and thats precisely what it is against Atletico, the solutions could not be found. More worryingly, Barca didnt even come up with too many ideas.Its a natural step in the life of a team when you have a front three that wins every game for you, added Balague. You stop working on things that made you so good when that front three was not performing, or when you needed to find collective answers to problems. Of course, when it gets to this stage of a season, teams hardly train. Its all about recuperation and there is less and less work on organised attack. What that means is that the team depends more and more on the front three as the season progresses.What they have discovered is that even the best individuals can be stopped. It will have come as shock. This is only the second time in nine years that Barcelona find themselves dumped out of the Champions League at this stage. Atletico Madrid ended a run of seven consecutive defeats to Barcelona Even on the night, a claustrophobic affair in a boisterous Calderon, the elimination might still have felt abrupt. After all, Atletico had taken the lead in all three of their previous encounters this season and each time Barca had turned it around for 2-1 victories.But the omen was merely ominous. The identity of the scorers of those six goals? Three by Suarez, two by Messi and the other by Neymar. The lesson? Barca may still have the better players but somewhere along the way they forgot about the need to be the better team too. Win a t-lab Peloton t-shirt We have teamed up with original British mens t-shirt label t-lab in our new giveaway Also See: Enrique: Im to blame for exit Simeone: We never give up How Spanish press reacted Griezmann knocks Barca out Custom College Jerseys China . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Cheap Custom Jerseys . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. http://www.collegejerseyscustom.com/ . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. Custom College Jerseys Outlet . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. Custom Duke Blue Devils Jerseys Cheap .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach.UEFA have confirmed the election to find Michel Platinis successor will take place on September 14 in Athens. Michael van Praag, the president of the Dutch Football Association, has expressed an interest in the role, and Aleksander Ceferin, the head of the Slovenian FA, could also be a contender.Candidates have until July 20 to declare their intention to stand. Platini confirmed last week that he will stand down as UEFA president after his six-year ban from football was reduced to four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).He was initially banned for eight years by a FIFA disciplinary committee over a £1.3m payment given to him by then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter in 2011. Michael van Praag, the president of the Dutch FA, is a candidate to replace Michel Platini as head of UEFA The pair claimed the money was for work Platini did for Blatter between 1998-2002.ddddddddddddHis eight-year ban was cut to six by the FIFA appeals committee.Platini had hoped to be cleared of all charges but the three-man CAS panel in Lausanne backed FIFAs judgement that the payment was unfair and a conflict of interests. He will be the UEFA president, in name at least, for the duration of Euro 2016 and UEFA have written to FIFA to find out if he can attend games at the tournament. Also See: Infantino very sad over Platini ban FIFA reject Blatter, Platini appeals Platini upset at lack of support Platini, Blatter receive bans ' ' '