Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News
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 have 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 Alejandro Balde was pressured off the sphere early.
Las Palmas took the early lead within the second half however Barcelona pulled one again by Raphinha close to the hour mark. A defensive lapse, nevertheless, helped the guests go entrance as soon as extra and Barcelona by no means received again within the recreation.
The Blaugrana had a transparent penalty denied and lots might be stated in regards to the referee’s mistake within the coming days for it’s now turning into a norm.
Barça Common brings you three takeaways from Barcelona 1-2 Las Palmas.
Casado’s absence proves pricey
Marc Casado was suspended towards Las Palmas. (Photograph by Octavio Passos/Getty Photographs)
Marc Casado’s purple card towards Celta Vigo price the workforce two factors as they instantly slumped to a 2-2 attract a matter of minutes.
Suspended from motion final night time, the teen’s absence was once more sorely felt because the workforce lacked management and safety in midfield with out the La Masia starlet.
Certainly, lots was stated in regards to the Gavi-Pedri double pivot and the way it will operate as a remembrance of the Xavi-Iniesta mixture. Nonetheless, it grew to become clear early on that the double pivot with the 2 Golden Boys had elementary flaws.
Neither participant significantly put a foot incorrect towards Las Palmas, however their cohesion as a duo didn’t provide the defensive stability that Casado brings to the park.
Consequently, the Canary Islands-based facet discovered it simpler to interrupt on counterattacks and play by 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 change his influence.
The freefall in La Liga continues
Barcelona are winless of their final three La Liga matches. (Photograph by Alex Caparros/Getty Photographs)
It’s totally 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 gave the impression to be no competitors for the league title as Barcelona have been cruising to wins and taking dwelling three factors for enjoyable. The win over Actual Madrid was purported to be the second they peaked and saved the momentum.
What has adopted, nevertheless, is an abysmal run of outcomes and the workforce has nearly given away its whole lead on the prime 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 solely unacceptable and numerous questions have to be requested for the workforce is unable to maintain even with out one of many common beginning names.
Extra importantly, with managers now discovering the antidote towards Flick’s Barcelona, the stress mounts on the supervisor to begin discovering alternate options and successful tactical battles with the best changes.
Who’s to be blamed?
Hansi Flick is beneath stress now. (Photograph by Alex Caparros/Getty Photographs)
With a poor run of outcomes, undoubtedly, comes a direct spherical of pointing fingers and pushing blame.
At this level, it’s thus important to introspect on whose fault the workforce’s sudden downfall in La Liga is right down to or whether or not it’s occurring with none single occasion’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 a good extent.
Certainly they aren’t as superior as they have been a month in the past, however there’s additionally the truth that the workforce 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 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.
