Barcelona have won only one of their last six points and their lead over Real Madrid has almost completely evaporated in a matter of two games.
If the defeat to Real Sociedad before the international break was not enough, Hansi Flick’s men slumped to a 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo last night in a game where they were outplayed and collapsed in the final ten minutes.
Lamine Yamal’s absence was felt at Balaidos, and so was that of Alejandro Balde who was rested out of caution and the game only revealed how some players are simply irreplaceable in the Catalans’ setup.
Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for Barcelona and created a two-goal cushion. A late red card to Marc Casado, however, brought serious drama into the script and the team left Balaidos with just one point.
Barça Universal brings you three talking points from Celta Vigo 2-2 Barcelona.
The catastrophic collapse
With eight minutes to go and a two-goal lead, everything seemed to be going for Barcelona last night despite the team not dominating the proceedings.
It was clear from the get-go that the Blaugrana were not at their best, but goals from Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski coupled with the team’s effectiveness with their few chances helped them take a solid lead.
Yet, everything fell apart within seconds as error after error piled up on the visitors’ behalf.
It all began with Marc Casado’s unnecessary foul in the 75th minute that earned him a yellow card, and the youngster should have erred on the side of caution thereafter especially given how the team just survived a red card before half-time.
Yet, Casado lunged into yet another unwarranted challenge in the 82nd minute and was given his marching orders, instilling hope into the Balaidos.
The minutes that followed were horrific for Barcelona. Still under the shock of having gone a man down, they struggled to keep the ball and Jules Kounde made an unforgivable error by giving the ball away cheaply and letting Alfon Gonzalez free on goal.
Celta pulled one back, and riding on the same high, kept the pressure going in the Catalan box to find the equaliser just two minutes later. In a matter of 240 seconds, they managed to undo Barcelona’s effort and salvage a point.
Truth be told, Barcelona are lucky to even escape with a point given how the game was flowing in the final ten minutes. Hansi Flick’s men simply choked and it is clear that the manager has a lot to address behind the scenes.
Has the code been cracked?
Barcelona began their season looking invincible. The forward trio was on song but the high defensive line raised many eyebrows as pundits across the globe called it unsustainable and a massive gamble.
Having pulled off the same against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, there was a sense of confidence that the team may well have perfected the skill and that their trap could not be broken.
The game against Crvena Zvezda, however, highlighted some concerns as the hosts managed to get away from the trap regularly utilising runs from the deep. They may not have won, but they seeded the idea of how to beat the Catalans.
Real Sociedad picked up the ideology and executed it to perfection, beating Barcelona in their final game before the international break.
Last night, Celta Vigo had Flick’s number as they broke Barcelona’s offside trap with ease, making runs behind the defence via the midfielders.
The Catalan defence had no answers for long, and while they did manage to hold on until the 82nd minute, they collapsed thereafter. Truth be told, the scoreline could have been humiliating if not for Inaki Pena.
The subject is not a growing worry, for Barcelona’s vulnerability at the back is now being routinely exposed and the team does not appear to have a plan B. The spotlight on Flick is now intensifying.
Gavi’s first start
On a night marred by negatives after the catastrophic collapse, Gavi’s performance was one bright light that the management and dressing room will take away as a positive.
After over a year after suffering his ACL injury, the La Masia star made his first start for Barcelona this season against Celta Vigo and looked as close to his former self as he could.
Indeed, the youngster was more cautious with his physical challenges, but recording 72 minutes in such a physical duel with challenges thrown on him from all sides will be a massive confidence booster for Gavi.
The midfield star not only survived the 70-plus minutes that he played but balled along with Pedri and Casado in the middle of the park, showing grit and decent distribution.
He played as part of the double pivot for most of the night, winning duels in midfield and breaking Celta’s counters. However, he also switched up with Pedri regularly and made attacking runs to add numbers in the final third.
Gavi’s return to fitness adds a lot to Barcelona’s dynamics, especially with Frenkie de Jong looking disinterested and disconnected from the team. The team will see more of the former Golden Boy winner in the coming weeks.
