There was a lot of hype ahead of the clash between Barcelona and Athletic Club on Sunday night. After all, the two teams had dished out a phenomenally fighting game not so long ago in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
Last night, however, the scoreboard read 0-0 at full-time. Neither side got the required breakthrough nor came close to doing the same, thus scripting one of La Liga’s most painful games to watch as a fan.
Xavi’s side headed back home with a point, but the blows they suffered on the night were simply not worth the cause. Barça Universal brings you three talking points from Athletic Club 0-0 Barcelona.
Dull and dusted
The clash between Barcelona and Athletic Club was far from the hype it generated prior. The two sides have dished out some electric performances in recent years, with the Copa del Rey meeting being a prime example, but last night’s game lacked any form of energy.
For ninety minutes, both Barcelona and Athletic Club struggled in the final third. Both teams together accumulated an xG of 1 on the night, speaking volumes about the dull game that unfolded.
The first thirty minutes of the night did not see a single shot on target. By the full-time whistle, that number reached a meagre four.
While the hosts did show some minor resurgence in the second half, Barcelona were lifeless throughout the 90 minutes. Sideways passes dominated their play as there appeared to be little to no intent in pushing forward.
It is thus safe to say that last night’s performance was a step back after the 4-0 rout of Getafe last weekend. The Catalans were dismal and without energy, headlined by their glaring inability in generating attacking transitions.
A price too heavy to bear
Frenkie de Jong being taken off injured vs Athletic Club. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Barcelona did not generate any positives to take home from San Mames. Yet, they were forced to pay a massive price for the single point they took home in the form of two…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/three-talking-points-from-athletic-club-0-0-barcelona-la-liga-gw-27/
Author : Adithya Eshwarla
Publish date : 2024-03-04 08:45:37
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