DINWIDDIE, Va. — The Professional Drag Racers Ass’n is returning home to Virginia Motorsports Park for the first of two races at the series’ home track.

The PDRA Mid-Atlantic Showdown presented by Modern Racing, May 2-4, is the second of eight races on the PDRA Tour.

Known as one of the quickest tracks on the PDRA tour, Virginia Motorsports Park will play host to numerous elapsed-time and speed record attempts this weekend.

“It looks like we’re going to have some warmer conditions during the day, but the nighttime conditions should set teams up to go after those records,” said Tyler Crossnoe, race director, PDRA. “Our new Friday Night Fire show, with its two back-to-back pro qualifying sessions starting at 6 o’clock, will be exciting. That third and final qualifying session could be a home run ball shot for a lot of teams in Moroso Pro Boost and Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous that are looking to lay down a big number and go to the top of the qualifying sheet.”

Another class to watch is Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock. Several of the class’ stars grabbed headlines in recent weeks as they competed in the NHRA’s Mountain Motor Pro Stock exhibition at races in Houston and Charlotte.

John DeFlorian won at Houston, while Chris Powers was victorious at Charlotte Sunday, April 28, just days away from the Mid-Atlantic Showdown and a few hours south of Virginia Motorsports Park.

“We always look forward to seeing the Pro Stock guys,” Crossnoe said. “It was really awesome to see a PDRA regular in Chris Powers go out and get a win at Charlotte. We’re very proud of him and John DeFlorian for getting the win at Houston a few weeks before. It looks like we’re going to see a lot of the guys who were at Charlotte going back into eighth-mile trim and getting ready to go after that 3-second mark at Virginia this weekend.”

The Mid-Atlantic Showdown will also include Schwing America Pro Outlaw 632 presented by Precision Chassis, a class that competes on the PDRA tour at seven races.

The newly redesigned Drag 965 Pro Nitrous Motorcycle class also returns to the PDRA for the first time this season. Formerly Pro Extreme Motorcycle, the PDRA’s lone two-wheeled class transitioned to a nitrous-only format over the winter.

“We’re excited to bring those guys back,” Crossnoe said. “There are a lot of good, hardworking racers who race hard and are very passionate about their spot in the series. You never know what they’re going to do and there’s always excitement on two wheels, that’s for sure.”

BARRE, Vt. — Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl owners Cris Michaud and Pat Malone unveiled plans for a series of facility projects that have recently been undertaken at the historic quarter-mile oval.

It was recently revealed that Thunder Road was in the process of building an outside retaining wall that circles the speedway. The wall extends all the way around the track except for the main pit entrance and exit as well as the “Eddie Carroll Highway” that leads onto the backstretch.

Such a wall had not previously existed in the track’s 60-year history, making its construction a surprise to many teams and fans. But the construction of this wall, which has been completed in time for the season-opening Community Bank N.A. 150 on Sunday, May 5, is just the first part of a larger plan that will have Thunder Road at the forefront of racing in the region for the next 60 years.

One of the most notable changes is to Forsythe Hill. Workers are currently in the process of moving the turn-three viewing area closer to the track so fans will have an even more up-close view of the racing. The hill will also be “terraced” with multi-level seating rows like in the main grandstands.

Due to winter weather delaying the start of construction on the project, Forsythe Hill will be closed for the season opener. However, work on the viewing area will be finished in time for the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic barring unforeseen circumstances.

The next phase of the larger project will add more viewing options and make it easy to access them. A patio area is planned between turns three and four with additional seating and other amenities. This will give fans a whole new perspective to watch Thunder Road racing from.

In addition, a new ticket booth is being built closer to the track. A walkway will be added from the ticket booth that goes around the outside of the wall. When it is completed, fans can go from Forsythe Hill in turn three all the way to the concession stands in turn one without exiting the gates.

A Kid’s Area is also planned for turn three. This will provide a place for young children and their families to hang out before and during the races on Thursday nights. The exact location of the Kid’s Area is to-be-determined, but it will likely be in tur three near Forsythe Hill.

“When Pat (Malone) and I bought Thunder Road, it was with the understanding that we were in this for the long haul,” Michaud said. “It’s about more than just keeping Thunder Road a race track. It’s about making Thunder Road THE race track to come to. Pat has a great vision of how to do just that. The work we’ve done over the past two years, such as the new pavement, new lights, and revamped concession area, was the first phase of his vision. Now we’re entering the next phase that sets up Thunder Road to be a racing and entertainment mainstay for both current and future generations.

“We understand that, for the last week and half, most of the talk from teams and fans has been about the wall,” Michaud continued. “That alone is a big change for many people, and we realize that. However, it’s important to remember the wall is only a small part of the overall picture. None of the things we’re adding over the next year would be possible without a retaining wall that allows people to get closer to the track. We think it’s going to be really exciting to see the finished product.”

Work on these projects will continue in stages throughout the season. Each new area and amenity will be opened as it is ready so fans can start enjoying the facility additions as soon as possible.

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa — Saturday’s Deery Brothers Summer Series event at Independence Motor Speedway has been rescheduled for Wednesday, June 19.

As has been the case numerous times this spring, rain and generally cold temperatures get the blame for the postponement of the IMCA Late Model tour program.

Other divisions on the June 19 card are to be announced.

The Sunday Deery race at Dubuque Speedway was another inclement weather casualty. There is no reschedule date for that event.

CONCORD, N.C. — Despite enduring a grueling crash Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Kyle Larson went through a  test like no other Monday at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island.

Larson continued Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Mission 600 – a series of interactive, regional military base visits in conjunction with the Department of Defense – by descending a five-story rappel tower, taking on an assault course and standing at attention at the iconic yellow footsteps amid orders from a drill instructor.

Larson’s day-in-the-life experience came as part of Charlotte’s patriotic preview of its Memorial Day weekend Salute to the Troops prior to the 60th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 26.

Joining Larson in his quest to experience Marine Corps recruit training were Philip Foster and Michael Roberts from Larson’s No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing crew, as well as FOX NASCAR studio host Shannon Spake and Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter.

“Everything was very new to me and a really cool experience,” Larson said. “A good friend of mine from high school is a drill instructor in California, so it was neat to see what he gets to do every day. Going down the (rappel) wall was awesome. I tried to do it as quick as I could before I got nervous. The whole experience was cool. Seeing the respect everyone has here for one another – they’re a whole big team, similar to us. I can’t say thanks enough for what they do for Americans as well as for showing us such great hospitality.”

Additionally, Larson and Walter presented Brig. Gen. James Glynn with U.S. Marine Corps and Charlotte Motor Speedway Mission 600 flags following their recruit training experience.

“(Larson) got a little bit of a sense for what these 13 weeks are like, but it’s really the beginning of a four-year or longer journey for our men and women,” Glynn said. “The thing we have in common is being part of a team and being part of a winning team. We appreciate the effort that Charlotte Motor Speedway and NASCAR have put into recognizing our Marines and their families.”

Larson also learned the story of Marine Sgt. Jeanette Winters, who attended Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island for recruit training in 1997. Sgt. Winters perished on Jan. 9, 2002, in a plane crash in Pakistan. She became the first female member of the U.S. military to be killed in the War on Terror. As part of the 600 Miles of Remembrance program, Larson’s car will carry Sgt. Winters’ name on its windshield during the Coca-Cola 600.

“The Coca-Cola 600 is an event that we all look forward to in part because we get to honor our military,” Larson said. “Being able to honor Sgt. Jeanette Winters is going to be really special. After coming here and getting to see what she went through in becoming a Marine, having her name on our car in the 600 will be very special.”

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Carolina Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk is out with an upper-body injury.

Coach Rod Brind'Amour also said Monday that forward Saku Maenalanen is expected to miss the rest of the Canes' second-round series with the New York Islanders due to an upper-body injury.

Brind'Amour spoke a day after the Hurricanes' list of injuries grew considerably during a 2-1 victory in New York that gave Carolina a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 3 is Wednesday night.

Mrazek, who has 210 saves on 230 shots faced while going 5-3 in the playoffs, left Sunday's game about six minutes into the second period. He was replaced by Curtis McElhinney, who stopped all 17 shots he saw.

Brind'Amour described Mrazek's status as "actually good news" because it means the injury doesn't appear to be long term. Still, the team recalled goalie Alex Nedeljkovic from its AHL affiliate in Charlotte on an emergency basis.

Van Riemsdyk was hurt about 30 seconds into Sunday's game after taking a hard hit from Cal Clutterbuck. He skated off the ice holding his left shoulder and sat on the bench for several minutes before heading to the dressing room. Maenalanen was injured in the third period.

In all, six Hurricanes are dealing with publicly disclosed injuries, with three of them coming during the first-round series against the Washington Capitals.

Forwards Andrei Svechnikov (concussion protocol) and Micheal Ferland (upper body) have not played since Game 3 of the Washington series and have been characterized as day-to-day by Brind'Amour, who says their availability will be determined after practice Tuesday.

Additionally, forward Jordan Martinook -- who left Game 4 against Washington with a lower-body injury after his heel slammed into the boards while he attempted a hit -- returned two games later. Brind'Amour says having three days between games will benefit Martinook, whose injury has "been nagging him for a long time."

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag took issue with comments from injury-hit Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino ahead of their Champions League semifinal first leg clash on Tuesday.

Hosts Tottenham are without a string of key players, including strikers Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, for the game in north London and were also involved in a 1-0 loss against West Ham United on Saturday while Ajax rested.

Pochettino said Ajax have an unfair advantage because the injuries to his team and the fact that the whole of the Dutch league programme was postponed to help Ten Hag's side prepare.

The straight-talking Dutchman was unimpressed, however, playing down suggestions his side were favourites.

"We get €10 million for playing in Eredivisie and they get many more millions for being in the Premier League. Is that not unfair on us?" the 49-year-old coach told reporters.

"There are always differing circumstances. Everybody has different circumstances. You just have to deal with them. That's what we do."

Midfielder Donny van der Beek, one of a crop of homegrown youngsters who have propelled four-times winners Ajax to their first Champions League semifinal since 1997, also made the point that their journey began last summer.

Ajax were actually playing in a second qualifying round tie against Austrians Sturm Graz in July, then beat Standard Liege to reach the playoffs where they overcame Dynamo Kiev.

That put them in a group containing Bayern Munich, but they emerged undefeated before beating Real Madrid in the last 16 and Juventus in the quarterfinals.

Now they are in sight of the final as well as being neck-and-neck with PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie title race.

"It's all going quite fast," Van der Beek said, before a training session in Tottenham's new stadium which was open for the public to attend for the full duration.

"Spurs are a great team with great players and we will have to be at the same level or better than we were against Real and Juventus in the last two rounds."

Ajax might never have a better chance to reclaim the trophy before the so-called European heavyweights close in to pick off their best talent -- as has happened in the case of midfielder Frenkie de Jong who will join Barcelona this summer.

But while it is young Dutch talent that has spearheaded Ajax's march, Ten Hag said it was a couple of former Premier League players who have provided the winning mentality.

Serbian Dusan Tadic joined from Southampton while Daley Blind has thrived since returning to the Netherlands after a spell with Manchester United.

"We had a good young team but a lack of experience," Ten Hag said. "It was a deliberate policy to sign players from the Premier League, with the knowledge and experience they bring."

Ajax are looking for their first win over Tottenham, having lost both legs of their European Cup Winners' Cup tie in 1981.

Everyone is tired. The schedule is getting hot and heavy and that's even before the weather really kicks in and the swelter arrives. Quick turnarounds and demanding travel are taking a toll on teams across the league.

It's time for managers to really earn their money. Motivating through fatigue and smartly rotating lineups now might mean the difference between making or missing the playoffs. All the points matter, even when it feels like the season just started.

Step up to the challenge, coaches. Or speak out publicly about how you don't really have the weapons to win and some of this really isn't your fault. Either one, really.

Previous rankings: Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. LAFC (7 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss)

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Chicago

LAFC got one of those draws that feels like a loss on the road in Seattle. Bob Bradley's team not only gifted the Sounders a goal in the first minute, it played up a man for most of the match without scoring ... and delivered the miss of the year from Christian Ramirez in the process. They physics of it don't seem possible.

2. LA Galaxy (7-1-1)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Saturday at New York Red Bulls

After midweek's disappointment in Minnesota, the Galaxy bounced back with a dominant 2-1 win at home over RSL on Sunday. Even when Zlatan Ibrahimovic does nothing, he still makes things happen. In addition to the winner, the Swede's almost-dummy set the table for Uriel Antuna's opening goal.

3. Seattle Sounders (5-2-1)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Saturday at Minnesota

Cristian Roldan's red card darkened the day for the Sounders and essentially ended any chance of winning against LAFC. Roldan's first career sending off will be the subject of plenty of controversy throughout the week. The upshot is that the Sounders held on for a point and will wait to see whether Roldan is let off.

4. Houston Dynamo (5-1-1)

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. FC Dallas

Houston's hot start is turning into a steady heat after a 2-0 home win over Columbus on Saturday. Note to other MLS teams: Sloppy play at the back against the Dynamo will probably lead to a whole lot of pain when the likes of Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas pounce.

5. FC Dallas (5-2-2)

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Saturday at Houston

A home draw against the Quakes after all of the fun of the last couple of weeks takes some of the shine off FC Dallas. It's a bit harsh to say that FC Dallas was outplayed on its home patch, but it did require the intervention of Jesse Gonzalez on several occasions to salvage the draw.

6. Philadelphia Union (4-2-3)

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. FC Cincinnati

The Union scored a point against the Whitecaps in Vancouver. The brightest spot for Philly was the play of homegrown keeper Matt Freese. The 20-year-old started in place of the injured Andre Blake and showed that the Union might not be lost without the Jamaican in the lineup.

7. Toronto FC (4-1-2)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Saturday at Orlando

Saturday presented the first real hiccup in what has otherwise been a good start to the season for the Reds. Jozy Altidore's absence was acutely felt against the Timbers, perhaps most by Alejandro Pozuelo. The Spaniard played his first MLS game without a goal or an assist. What a bust!

8. D.C. United (4-2-3)

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Columbus

A dog-tired United team looked exactly that in Minnesota against the Loons on the weekend after a midweek win in Columbus. Spare a thought for homegrown product Donovan Pines, who had his first MLS goal taken off the board by VAR in Minnesota. Strange call and rough day for the Black & Red.

9. Minnesota United (4-2-3)

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. LA Galaxy

It took three tries, but the Loons finally have their first win at Allianz Field. It was narrow and far from comfortable, but none of that matters. Did Angelo Rodriguez even make contact with Romain Metenire's cross? Who cares! The United fans got a chance to sing Wonderwall, establishing the tradition in their new home.

10. Montreal Impact (5-2-3)

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Wednesday at New England

The Impact needed some serendipity and emergency defence to keep Chicago out of the net in the early going, then got a bit of magic from Omar Browne to secure a win. That flash of brilliance is exactly why the club plucked Browne out of Panama following his breakthrough performance in the CONCACAF Champions League.

11. Columbus Crew (4-1-5)

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Saturday at D.C. United

The Crew have dropped four straight games, with a single goal on the board in those matches. Between Wednesday's home loss to D.C. and Saturday's defeat in Houston, Columbus crossed the ball 65 times and managed a grand total of nine shots on goal. That would be fine with better efficiency in front of net, but the Crew don't have it.

12. Orlando City (3-3-3)

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Toronto FC

Even with NYCFC's rough start to 2019, getting a point on the road at Yankee Stadium is never an easy task. Credit to the Lions for not only getting a draw, but for getting out of the Bronx without any injuries from the questionable surface. Nani continues to show his value with another goal.

13. New York City FC (2-6-1)

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: Saturday at Montreal

The draw kings of MLS retained their throne with a home draw against Orlando on Saturday. That's not the result the home team needed, and it might help turn the heat back up on Dome Torrent after last week's big win over D.C. United. Even the boss acknowledges his seat is warming up.

14. Real Salt Lake (3-1-5)

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Portland

RSL felt the wrath of the Galaxy on Sunday in what can only be called a fair result. Does that mean Mike Petke's team isn't good enough to compete in the West? No, but it seems like the dial will switch back and forth on the "good and bad" meter most of the season for a club with a few nice pieces but not enough top-class talent.

15. Sporting Kansas City (2-4-2)

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Atlanta

What was that? Sporting's explainable rough road following the Champions League run is becoming a more troubling trend following a wild 4-4 home draw against New England. If there's a positive, it's the fight the club showed in bringing the game level.

16. Chicago Fire (2-3-4)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Saturday at LAFC

The loss in Montreal came down to a game that was always bound to be determined by a single moment going against the visitors. On current evidence, the Fire are what Saturday proved them to be: A mediocre team that will need luck to go their way to earn points on most weekends.

17. New York Red Bulls (2-2-4)

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. LA Galaxy

With no Kaku and a shaken-up lineup, the desperate Red Bulls pulled out a win over FC Cincinnati thanks to fullback Connor Lade's goal. Lade had a single tally in his MLS career prior to Saturday. Of all of the players who could have grabbed the moment to pull New York out of a nosedive, Lade was probably the least likely.

18. Atlanta United (2-2-3)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Sunday at Sporting Kansas City

So ... does a 1-0 win at home over the only winless team in the league count as a season-saving moment? Is Frank de Boer off the hot seat? The three points matters most, but lingering doubts about Atlanta's ability to create goals are bound to bubble up again in the weeks ahead.

19. Portland Timbers (2-1-5)

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: Saturday at Real Salt Lake

Turnaround, engage? The Timbers now have a winning streak after a victory in Toronto on Saturday. It's probably not a good idea to count on Bill Tuiloma wonder goals every week, but if the defender can pop up with a stunning strike every now and then, that might help with the scoring needs.

20. San Jose Earthquakes (2-2-5)

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. FC Cincinnati

We're still not sure whether the Quakes are good now, but Matias Almeyda's team has gone three games without a defeat. Saturday's draw in Frisco wasn't as impressive as the previous two outings, but it's difficult to deny that there's clear progress happening under the Argentine boss. Trust the process?

21. FC Cincinnati (2-2-5)

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Philadelphia

Reality has fully set in for the expansion kids after loss in New York. Not only is FC Cincinnati winless in five, but a goalless performance at Red Bull Arena means the club hasn't scored in three straight games. FCC did hit the post twice, so maybe the luck will switch when it hits Philly midweek.

22. Vancouver Whitecaps (1-3-5)

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: Friday at Colorado

Making the playoffs probably means holding on to leads at home, something the Whitecaps couldn't do against the Union on Saturday. Again, Iraqi wingback Ali Adnan was smack in the middle of the action, setting up Doneil Henry for the Whitecaps' goal and turning the ball over to gift the Union theirs.

23. New England Revolution (2-2-6)

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: Saturday at Philadelphia

There's no real way to excuse away Wednesday's loss against the Impact. Then, on Saturday, the Revs had a one-goal lead, a two-goal lead, then re-established a two-goal lead, then conceded twice in the last 20 minutes to end up with a just point (and nine men) in Kansas City. It's a little Jekyll and a whole lot of Hyde.

24. Colorado Rapids (0-2-6)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Friday vs. Vancouver

Rapids manager Anthony Hudson has taken to ripping his roster: "We are fighting at the bottom with a bottom group of players and we have to find a way to pick up results whilst also being a team that tries to play a certain way. And we just have to find that balance." All in all, a strange move for a man with a hand in plenty of Rapids personnel decisions.

Across the 43-year history of their rivalry, Barcelona have never knocked Liverpool out of Europe, never defeated the Reds at the Camp Nou. Four home matches: two defeats, two draws, one solitary goal scored -- 12 years ago, by Deco. It's an angry blemish scarring an otherwise superb European record from a club that, like Liverpool, is pursuing its sixth Champions League trophy.

And the harsh truth, amid the champagne and backslapping of their La Liga title win on Saturday, is that if Barcelona perform against Jurgen Klopp's team this week like they did in beating Levante 1-0, then both those bleak records are guaranteed to continue. Their bid for a third Treble, when no other club has more than one, will be in tatters.

Does that sound a little ungracious given that for Barcelona's squad, staff and fans, this is a time of momentous achievement? Eight domestic titles in 11 seasons -- particularly, played in a league in which the quality is enormously high, in which it's proven that any team, however humble, can beat any other, and that is populated by serial UEFA trophy winners such as Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla -- is awesome.

However, facts must be faced. I'm stating the same truth that Ernesto Valverde, Gerard Pique, Luis Suarez & Co. will be digesting and trying to avoid at all costs.

What happened on Saturday, while Paco Lopez's Levante played absolutely superbly, going toe to toe with a squad that was assembled for hundreds of times the cost and is paid hundreds of millions more, was precisely what Lionel Messi has recently warned against. Barca's genius stepped off the pitch seconds after the final whistle against Manchester United in the quarterfinal and shrugged off praise from his interviewer so that he could go straight to the nub of the matter.

The gist of his message was: They have spoken among themselves about not playing as sloppily as they did in the first 10 minutes against United. They need to not repeat this again because a bad spell of eight or nine minutes in the Champions League and you're out.

The thrashings at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Roma in recent seasons were the stimulus for his critical message. United, a team in stasis, had been dealt with, but no such advantageous circumstances lay ahead in the semifinal. Liverpool are better, faster, stronger and more confident.

It's worth going back to Messi's words because, against Levante, Barcelona were wasteful, slow and lacking intensity -- and that's before their level dropped.

Putting it politely, Liverpool's scouts must have left the Camp Nou licking their lips in anticipation. Klopp's players -- or at least those who weren't spending Saturday praying that Burnley would do them a favour against Manchester City -- would have been forgiven for messaging their agents to book flights and hotel rooms in Madrid, where the final will be held, for family and friends.

One reason for writing so scathingly about Barcelona's weekend performance is the clash against Klopp's red machine already felt like Superman meeting kryptonite for the first time.

In case you're not familiar with the 81-year-old extraterrestrial, he went by the name Clark Kent and who has made millions for DC Comics and Hollywood filmmakers. He left mortals standing, but kryptonite mysteriously weakened him -- just as Liverpool's pressing, athleticism, high-tempo passing, three-man front line and height at set pieces can potentially do to Barcelona.

Indeed, just in case you've forgotten modern football history, never mind Superhero antecedents, it's not just PSG, Juve and Roma who are our reference points.

It's true Barcelona's home record could make the Camp Nou seem like an unassailable citadel. No team in Europe has an equivalent record of 31 home games in UEFA competition without defeat.

Liverpool, as powerful as they are and as much as the two rivals' states at present makes them feel like favourites, face a club that has won 28 and drawn three in the past six years, scoring 91 while conceding just 15 times. Pretty remarkable.

However, Barcelona's lone conquerors in that span were Jupp Heynckes' Bayern Munich. They were not identical to this Liverpool team, but not far off it: high tempo, physical, confident and wholly aware of where Barca's Achilles heel was in 2013.

It's coincidental that one of the jokers in Jurgen Klopp's pack, capable of springing surprises on unwary opponents and a different kind of footballer from those around him at Anfield, is Xherdan Shaqiri. He played for Bayern in that aggregate 7-0 semifinal rout.

If Klopp quizzes his Swiss international, Shaqiri will surely tell him that the 2013 version of Barcelona had also run away with their league title, but that they hated being harassed at high tempo, weren't at their athletic peak, were capable of being bullied, were vulnerable at set plays and needed to be overwhelmed.

I'd estimate Klopp's sermon to his players this week has been almost identical in content and tone to the one delivered by Heynckes. Bayern then, like Liverpool now, played 4-3-3, darting in behind the normally foraging Barca full-backs. The Catalans then, like Saturday at least, weren't at their peak of energy and stamina.

A year after Bayern thrashed Tito Vilanova's Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate, Xavi told me, vehemently, that the fundamental difference between the sides was that he and his teammates were exhausted and not at their physical best, and the Bavarians were absolutely flying in terms of pace, stamina and freshness. I was doubtful; the problems appeared to run more deeply. But it was only two seasons later that a buzzing Barca squad, not heavily changed but much more energetic after Luis Enrique had heavily rotated their first XI for months, pretty clinically dispatched Pep Guardiola's Bayern side in what was an epic Champions League semifinal en route to Barcelona's second Treble.

This lesson seems to be the key. If Barca are fresh, rather than frazzled, it's Liverpool who are underdogs. Otherwise, it's vice-versa. While Valverde has undoubtedly reduced the minutes of his vital, slightly more senior squad members, has it been sufficient?

If Messi is to fulfill his promise to bring the European Cup back to the Camp Nou, then there needs to be a massive leap forward in intensity, pace of passing, attention to detail, pressing and finishing.

Liverpool, judging by their domestic and European form, are coming to the boil. Barcelona, if you inserted a thermometer, would show a tepid temperature.

What Barcelona have achieved in winning the title both early and by a decent margin, while making this European semifinal plus reaching the Copa del Rey final, is exceedingly special. So few clubs have won Trebles because it's unbelievably difficult; there will be days when you win by luck, thanks to referees' blunders or, well, when you don't really know how you've got through.

So if you take a close look at Barca's recent level of performance -- away to United, at home to Atletico, in drawing 0-0 against Huesca, shipping four against Villarreal, ambling around against Real Sociedad and conceding sufficient chances to lose against Levante -- then the conclusion is that any team in this situation would be counted as distant second favourites to eliminate a phenomenon like Liverpool.

However, what's special about Messi, Pique, Suarez, Jordi Alba, Ivan Rakitic, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Sergio Busquets isn't just their talent, it's their mentality.

They know that leaving massive gaps between the lines like they did against Levante, being robbed of the ball, giving it away lackadaisically, getting jittery and allowing the importance of the occasion to gnaw away at their intensity and excellence, well, that will end their European season. Good bye, Wanda Metropolitano on June 1. Good bye, Treble.

The thing about Superman is that he always found a way not to let the kryptonite finish him off -- by hook or by crook, his cape would always flutter, he'd soar above his apparently dominant rivals, his superpowers would always save the day.

Barcelona's task between now and Wednesday is to refocus, to accept that mental sharpness, intensity, concentration and experience must rouse in them a 180-degree transformation from the error-strewn, sloppy, below-par 90 minutes that won them the Spanish title to one of the performances of their entire lives against a Liverpool side who arrive at the Camp Nou, whether they admit it or not, expecting to win.