So the “sh*t November” — as Hansi Flick called it during a press conference — has carried on into December.
At home to Leganes on Sunday evening, Barcelona lost in La Liga again when facing what should have been relatively undemanding opponents.
They trailed from the third minute of the match, when Sergio Gonzalez scored the only goal of the game. By the end of the match, Barca had taken 20 shots to Leganes’ to six — but 11 of Barca’s efforts were off target. It was that sort of evening.
Barca ended up playing increasingly desperately against an opponent who sat in a low block, defending solidly with a line of five defenders.
Barcelona insisted on coming inside when Leganes had packed that area with players. They had chances — mustering an expected goals (xG) value of 2.6, as illustrated in The Athletic’s match dashboard below — but were up against a wall. Leganes goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic put in an exceptional performance.
This was perhaps Barca’s toughest defeat of the season. It was so unexpected, coming after a great performance at the Signal Iduna Park against Borussia Dortmund, and such a missed because they missed the opportunity that Real Madrid gave them the day before when they drew 3-3 against Rayo Vallecano.
With a section of Barca’s fanbase still absent over the payment of a €21,000 ($22,000; £18,000) fine, the atmosphere at Montjuic was subdued. There were long silences at times and the ‘charanga’ — a musical group with trumpets — provided by the club didn’t work either.
Barca concede from a corner for the first time this season
Defensive set pieces had been one of the team’s major weaknesses in past seasons but Gonzalez’s header was the first goal Barcelona had conceded from a corner under Hansi Flick.
The player caught out was Eric Garcia, who lost Gonzalez and left him free to finish, but really it was a problem of group concentration. In fact, Garcia ended up being one of the best Barcelona players on the night.
Flick had selected Garcia over Ronald Araujo after deciding to give 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi a well-earned rest.
Sergio Gonzalez scores the only goal of the game (Pedro Salado/Getty Images)
How did Flick’s absence on the touchline affect things?
Assistant coach Marcus Sorg was in charge on the bench due to Flick’s two-game suspension following a red card against Real Betis.
If a game against struggling Leganes had seemed easy, even without Flick, the next one against Atletico Madrid, level on points with Barcelona, could be pivotal in the title race.
‘The last message I can give my players will be at the hotel before the match,” Flick said at the pre-match press conference. The German was not allowed to be on the bench or in the dressing room at half-time.
In his place, Sorg took over. The assistant coach stood at the edge of the technical area during the whole match. He was frequently driven to despair, reacting angrily when Raphinha missed a chance in added time in the first half.
Sorg’s in-game changes matched what would have been expected from Flick. In the 66th minute, he substituted Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo for Ferran Torres and Fermin Lopez. Nine minutes later, he replaced Lamine Yamal with Gavi.
With Flick banned, Marcus Sorg took charge of Barcelona in Sunday’s game (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Some sections of the Barcelona press and fanbase have accused Flick of making ‘Excel changes’ — pre-determined substitutes that will be done regardless of how the game develops. It has been something that Flick has been asked about a lot in press conferences and Sorg got the same treatment.
Looking at the changes, Sorg was justified in hooking Olmo. The forward seems to have switched off in the last few games and everything he was doing well — linking up, seeing space, scoring goals — has dried up.
The removals of Lewandowski and Yamal were more surprising. Neither was having their best game, especially Lewandowski, but in a tight game, it was surprising that the coaching staff dispensed with the goal-poacher instincts of their top scorer and the magic of their main creative spark.
Regardless of the changes, it felt like Barcelona could have played this game for another 20 hours and not scored. Flick’s absence was felt on Sunday but Barca have shown similar problems when he has been on the bench in recent games, too.
Olmo was substituted midway through the second half (Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
A lack of connection on the pitch
Marc Casado had placed the ball on the grass and Oscar Rodriguez was discussing a plan with him. Pedri, watching on, lost his patience and went and played the ball instead. He was upset because his team-mates were falling into Leganes’ trap and wasting time.
In the first few months under Flick, Barcelona defied pre-season expectations, surprising everyone by outperforming their rivals with a young side. They took an early lead in La Liga and comfortably defeated eternal rivals Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
But winning 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid and beating local rivals Espanyol 3-1, they have dropped 13 points in six games.
Are we starting to see the limitations of such a young team with such a small squad? Maybe. The leader of the team is a 17-year-old, Yamal, while Cubarsi has appeared in 38 consecutive games. This time last year, he had not even made his senior debut.
Barca have a problem in La Liga.
Pedri could not inspire a comeback (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
“Our focus was not on the best level”, Sorg told DAZN after the game.
“It was a tough game,” Pedri said to Movistar after the match. “It’s impossible to go home happy today. We started off a bit asleep with that goal. We came to our senses, we created chances but we lacked the spark to get forward and score goals.
“It’s a lot of games in a row but that’s no excuse. We need to arrive and finish with the same confidence as we do in the Champions League.”
In the space of just over a month, Barcelona have suffered three defeats and two draws.
These players are capable of great performances and poor displays in equal measure, and that inconsistency could cost them as the season progresses.
Where does this leave Barcelona in the title race?
Saturday’s match against Atletico Madrid — in second place with an inferior goal difference but with a game in hand — will be key. It is their last fixture of the year and a win before the Christmas break would ease the recent worry.
The match against Leganes should have been much more positive. Araujo, injured since July, returned and received a standing ovation when he came out to warm up. It should have been a day to take advantage of Real Madrid’s latest setback. But, in the end, it was just the day that Barcelona’s new mascot CAT (who is indeed a cat) and Leganes’ ‘Superpepino’ (super cucumber) met. That was something, at least.
😽 Cat is making new friends.
🥒 @CDLeganes pic.twitter.com/c40IBJeJAJ— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 15, 2024
What next for Barcelona?
Saturday, December 21: Atletico Madrid (H), La Liga, 8pm GMT, 3pm ET
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(Top photo: Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
