Barcelona in crisis: In-depth analysis after the defeat against Sevilla

Deep Analysis: Barcelona’s Decline and Keys to Recovery

If you find yourself conversing with a Barcelona fan during the international break and they try to justify the 4-1 defeat against Sevilla, smile, offer them a drink, and make sure they get home safe and sound. The reality is that the culé fanbase is in denial, fear gnaws at their footballing soul.

It’s true, a missed penalty and a squandered opportunity could have changed the course of the match, but the defeat, and its decisiveness, was something that had been coming for weeks.

So far this season, Barcelona has played nearly 1,000 competitive minutes, distributed across eight league matches and two in Europe. Being generous, the team has shown a good level for about 480 minutes, 48%. An insufficient percentage for a club that aims to maintain its titles and, through the Champions League, improve them.

You don’t have to believe me, you have to listen to Flick’s press conferences and read the players’ statements.

Alofoke Deportes

The first warning sign came on the first matchday. Despite being ahead against Mallorca, who were playing with nine men, the team showed a lazy and complacent attitude. The German coach, visibly annoyed, pointed out: “I didn’t like our performance, we played with 50% concentration.” The team struggled in their visit to Levante, and in the match against Rayo Vallecano, Barcelona was outplayed, showing difficulties in maintaining the pace of the game.

“We made too many mistakes, we didn’t control the game with the ball,” Flick said after that match.

Alofoke Deportes

The phrase “last year we were a real team, but ego kills success” was devastating, without identifying the players or directors involved. The Catalan newspaper Diario Sport warned: “Flick, watch out… at this rate, you might not make it to the end of the season.” Real Oviedo, newly promoted, exposed Barcelona’s weaknesses. The 3-1 victory at the Carlos Tartiere Stadium was one of the four league matches in which the team had to come from behind. An exciting spectacle for neutrals, but not the sign of a champion. On Sunday, Sevilla coach Matías Almeyda, gathered all of Barcelona’s weaknesses, promising his players that the team suffered from a “glass jaw”. Sevilla crushed Barcelona. If they had converted all their goal opportunities, they would have surpassed their historical record against the culé team.

Former Sevilla player Diego Capel, present at the match, witnessed Barcelona’s suffering. The team failed to hold the lead and the match slipped through their fingers. In his season-opening column, he questioned whether Barcelona, despite internal problems, was the favorite to win titles. Now, that prediction seems risky. The team misses Lamine Yamal and Raphinha when they are injured, and Iñigo Martínez, who left the club. The relationship between the board, the coach, and the squad has been affected by the treatment of Marc-André ter Stegen and by the search for financial solutions.

The team’s physical condition is also a problem. Except against Valencia and in their best performance against Newcastle United, Barcelona has shown an irregular performance. The lack of energy and attitude affects the game, the pressure, and the defense. Pedri, after the defeat against Sevilla, stated: “Horrible performance. It seemed like we didn’t know what to do with the ball. We lacked intensity and quality.” LaLiga statistics reveal that Barcelona, which stood out for its pressing last season, now recovers the ball at a rate below the league average. A devastating fall. Flick has promised that after the international break, the team will fight again to win all competitions. However, if the team doesn’t change its attitude, regain its intensity, and prioritize success over ego, the problems will continue.