Barcelona slumped to a surprising second defeat in three match days in La Liga final night time as they fell to a 1-2 defeat to Las Palmas at Montjuic.
The Catalans had been certainly removed from their greatest on the night time. With Lamine Yamal unfit to begin and Marc Casado out, the lineup was comparatively recent and extra so after .
Las Palmas took the early lead within the second half however Barcelona pulled one again via Raphinha close to the hour mark. A defensive lapse, nevertheless, helped the guests go entrance as soon as extra and Barcelona by no means acquired again within the recreation.
The Blaugrana had a and so much will likely be mentioned in regards to the referee’s mistake within the coming days for it’s now changing into a norm.
Barça Common brings you three takeaways from Barcelona 1-2 Las Palmas.
Casado’s absence proves pricey
Marc Casado’s pink card in opposition to Celta Vigo price the staff two factors as they instantly slumped to a 2-2 attract a matter of minutes.
Suspended from motion final night time, the teenager’s absence was once more sorely felt because the staff lacked management and safety in midfield with out the La Masia starlet.
Certainly, so much was mentioned in regards to the Gavi-Pedri double pivot and the way it might operate as a remembrance of the Xavi-Iniesta mixture. Nevertheless, it turned clear early on that the double pivot with the 2 Golden Boys had elementary flaws.
Neither participant significantly put a foot unsuitable in opposition to Las Palmas, however their cohesion as a duo didn’t supply the defensive stability that Casado brings to the park.
In consequence, the Canary Islands-based aspect discovered it simpler to interrupt on counterattacks and play via the center with comparatively little resistance.
Final night time’s conflict doesn’t belittle Gavi or Pedri for they each performed decently. Nevertheless it simply goes to point out how good Casado is in his place and the way he’s indispensable in Hansi Flick’s setup. No participant within the squad can exchange his affect.
The freefall in La Liga continues
It’s completely unacceptable for Barcelona to throw away eight of their final 9 factors in La Liga, however that’s all it takes within the league to go from supreme to susceptible.
Nearly a month in the past, there seemed to be no competitors for the league title as Barcelona had been cruising to wins and taking dwelling three factors for enjoyable. The win over Actual Madrid was imagined to be the second they peaked and stored the momentum.
What has adopted, nevertheless, is an abysmal run of outcomes and the staff has nearly given away its whole lead on the high of the desk. Actual Madrid can now take over because the leaders in the event that they win their two video games in hand.
To throw eight of the final 9 factors in La Liga is just unacceptable and loads of questions have to be requested for the staff is unable to maintain even with out one of many common beginning names.
Extra importantly, with managers now discovering the antidote in opposition to Flick’s Barcelona, the stress mounts on the supervisor to begin discovering alternate options and profitable tactical battles with the precise changes.
Who’s to be blamed?
With a poor run of outcomes, undoubtedly, comes an instantaneous spherical of pointing fingers and pushing blame.
At this level, it’s thus on whose fault the staff’s sudden downfall in La Liga is all the way down to or whether or not it’s taking place with none single celebration’s fault.
For starters, questions can’t be raised in regards to the gamers who’ve been giving their greatest and dominating video games to an honest extent.
Certainly they don’t seem to be as superior as they had been a month in the past, however there may be additionally the truth that the staff considerably overperformed on xG, took each half-chance and performed the offside lure to perfection final month.
With fatigue naturally setting in and the calendar offering no respite, it’s pure that they’re unable to be as scientific and that they’re being extra uncovered.
Concurrently, nevertheless, the supervisor can’t be blamed both for his man-management, use of fringe gamers and dynamics have been excellent.
What has modified is that the gamers are now not recent and the hiccup was at all times anticipated from the highly-demanding system.
It’s thus crucial that Barcelona solely take the final three league video games as a small lapse in focus and don’t get into blame video games. In the event that they utilise it to fireplace themselves up, the approaching weeks can as soon as once more carry pleasure to followers.
