Barcelona’s puncture | OneFootball

Barcelona goes from euphoria to reality. After two victories, scoring goals and playing very well, they found themselves with a discreet draw against Getafe, which has become one of the thorns in the culés’ shoe. In fact, it had been five years since the Catalans had been able to score a goal against the ‘azulones’ as visitors. The last victory in their field was in September 2019, when they won 0-2 under the direction of Ernesto Valverde.

The truth is that this type of match is very difficult for Barcelona against rivals who lock themselves in behind, who are tactically disciplined, who do not get disorganized, who bear the entire weight of the game on the defensive side and who cede possession of the ball. It was not enough to have more than 62 percent of it because it could not reflect that possession in plays in front of the rival goal. While it is true that he could have won if that penalty play was called on Jules Kounde at the end of the game, he could also have lost if the referee had sent off Alejandro Balde for a childish attack against a Getafe defender.

The clear thing is that Barcelona can go from beating Real Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup and then Athetic Club in the Copa del Rey, to wasting the opportunity it had to take points off Atlético de Madrid. The ‘colchoneros’ had given ground with their loss to Leganés and the loss of their undefeated record of fifteen consecutive victories.

It seems that Barcelona is finding it more difficult to play LaLiga than other tournaments, such as the Cup and the Champions League. It may be due to the study and knowledge of the game or the intensity of the competition. What is clear is that he will have to adjust, and quickly, because not all matches will be like the previous two, in which he was far superior and was able to subdue his rival.

The two faces of Barcelona lead one to wonder if it will be able to fight for everything it is competing for or if it will have to give priority to one of the tournaments. It is early to say because he is alive in the three he is playing, but it will be necessary for coach Hansi Flick to find a way to face those types of games that tell so much about the culé team and where he fails to transform that control of the ball on occasions. of goal.

The image of the weekend cannot erase what he achieved in previous matches, but it should make the German coach think. It has already happened that his team went from being the sensation of the Champions League, from dominating the league, to now being third, seven points behind a Real Madrid that managed to turn the page and take the lead in the local tournament with considerable superiority .

The options are alive, and if the Catalan team manages to consolidate that image and maintain regularity, we will be facing one of the teams that will be able to fight on each of the fronts in which it competes. But, yes, they will have to face those games in which their rivals get behind and are waiting for an option that will allow them to show their head and complicate things for their rival. It is clear that those who achieve that understanding, as Getafe did, are going to put them on the ropes.

This team is already mature, and the German coach will have to work to make his game model work against all types of rivals. They must consolidate that Barcelona that has dazzled at times by displaying spectacular football, preventing it from going from that euphoria to boredom, as it did last weekend. We are facing a team that has everything to lead in Europe, but that has many young people who still have many games left to consolidate. Game management and group management will be essential to consolidate your leadership in all competitions.