Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News
After taking on from Xavi Hernandez in the summertime, Hansi Flick initially introduced recent optimism to FC Barcelona, with the early type suggesting that the Catalans would run away with the La Liga title.
However the staff has struggled in current league matches, incomes simply 5 factors from the final 18 obtainable. This droop has allowed rivals Atletico Madrid and Actual Madrid to catch up within the title race.
No higher than Xavi’s Barcelona
At the moment, following their shock 0-1 defeat to Leganes on Sunday night time in La Liga, Flick’s Barcelona have 38 factors from 18 matches.
It occurs to be the identical variety of factors as Xavi’s staff had collected at this level final season.
The important thing distinction is that Barcelona lead the league desk and have a superior purpose distinction as effectively in comparison with final season, however they’ve performed a sport greater than Atletico and Actual Madrid.
Final 12 months, at this stage, Girona and Actual Madrid had 45 factors, whereas Barça had been in fourth place, stage with Atletico on 38 factors.
Flick’s Barça have the identical variety of factors as Xavi’s staff final season at this stage. (Picture by Fran Santiago/Getty Photographs)
If the 2 Madrid groups win their sport in hand, the Blaugrana would drop to 3rd place.
Regardless of the current struggles, this Barça is extra enticing to observe, as proven by their attacking stats. Flick’s staff has scored 50 objectives and conceded 20, whereas Xavi’s staff at this stage had scored 34 and shipped in 21 objectives.
A starker comparability comes when trying again to the 2022-23 season, when Xavi’s Barça gained the La Liga title. On the 18-match mark that season, Barcelona had been high with 47 factors, forward of Actual Madrid with 44 and Actual Sociedad with 28.
Barcelona went on to win La Liga that season with 88 factors, 10 forward of second-placed Los Blancos.
Flick’s Champions League journey
It stays to be seen how Hansi Flick’s Barça fares within the Champions League. To this point, the Catalans have loved a constructive run in Europe, sitting second within the league part desk with 5 wins from six video games.
At the moment, they’re well-placed to complete within the Prime 8 and progress on to the knockout rounds.
Xavi’s staff additionally superior to the 2023-24 Champions League quarterfinals, defeating Napoli within the first knockout spherical, earlier than being eradicated by PSG, a tie marked by Ronald Araujo’s purple card within the second leg at Montjuïc.
