He FC Barcelona has collapsed in the League. The team of Hansi Flickwhich started the championship like a rocket, has lost 13 of the last 18 points at stake and against theoretically affordable rivals.
The 0-4 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabéu marked a turning point, but contrary to what was expected, it did so against a squad that has ended up squandering a very large advantage in the table that had made it the leader without company. There may be many reasons, but there are details that do not speak well of a team that seriously aspires to be champion.
One of them is its poor ability to react to an adverse marker. And the League began by exhibiting that promising strength, characteristic of a great team. Since the comebacks in Mestalla (1-2) against Valencia, which occurred on August 17 in the first league matchday, and in Vallecas (1-2) against Rayo, on the 27th of the same month, Barça has been unable to raise one more score in the 5 subsequent matches in which the opponent in turn has taken an advantage.
In total, they were 312 minutes behind on a scoreboard in which Barça did not know how to fully replicate the initial blow given, successively, by Monaco in the Champions League, and by Osasuna, Real Sociedad, Las Palmas and Leganés, in the League.
1
CHAMPIONS (Day 1/19 September)
Monaco won, although with extenuating circumstances
The first time that FC Barcelona had to go against the tide on the scoreboard was on September 19, on the opening day of the League phase of the Champions League. It was in Monaco, in which the Principality’s team achieved victory against a Barça team that was soon outnumbered due to the expulsion of Eric Garcia. In the 10th minute of the match, the culé central defender saw the red card and Barça had to play 80 minutes with one less player. Although a goal from Lamine Yamal could have answered Maghnes Akhliouche’s initial goal in the 16th minute, Barça received the final 2-1 already in the second half, with a goal from George Ilenikhena.
2
LEAGUE (Matchday 8/28 September)
Osasuna reacts to the attempted comeback
On September 28, Barça lost at El Sadar after a massive rotation by Flick against Osasuna, who entered the game on matchday 8 of the League very energized. The goals from Ante Budimir and Brian Zaragoza before half an hour found an answer in Pau Victor’s 1-2, but again Budimir and Abel Bretones left Lamine Yamal’s final goal (4-2) an anecdote.
3
LEAGUE/Matchday 13 (November 10)
Another hour without a response against Real
The “shitty November” that Flick ended up calling started badly on the 10th of that month for Barça in Anoeta against Real Sociedad. Sheraldo Becker scored the only goal of the game for the San Sebastian team in the 33rd minute, but in the subsequent 57 minutes Barça was not even able to tie and rescue a point.
4
LEAGUE/Matchday 15 (November 30)
Twice going behind against UD
The 125th anniversary of FC Barcelona experienced a bitter episode with the surprising victory of UD Las Palmas in Montjuïc. The island team, which is fighting for permanence, took the lead twice on the scoreboard. First, through Sandro Ramírez in the 49th minute, and although Raphinha achieved a momentary tie (1-1) in the 61st minute, Fabio Silva established the final 1-2 in the 67th minute.
5
LEAGUE/Matchday 17 (December 15)
A goal in the 4th minute from Leganés and it was over
A header from a corner, without any marking by Barça, was enough for Leganés to achieve their first away win in the League. Montjuïc took Sergio González’s goal in the 4th minute as a passing accident, but in the subsequent 86 minutes, not counting the discounts, Barça was unable to capitalize on some of its opportunities, which were not many but very clear. The final score of 0-1 consummated the feeling that Barça 2024-25 is ‘blown away’ by the games in which it is trailing the scoreboard.
