Barcelona’s struggles in La Liga continued final evening with a disappointing residence defeat towards Atletico Madrid.
This loss marks their third consecutive residence defeat within the league this season, a uncommon and regarding pattern for a membership of Barcelona’s stature.
It has thrown the staff into considered one of their worst runs of type in La Liga in current reminiscence, a state of affairs that evokes recollections of their difficulties beneath Frank Rijkaard in 2008.
What’s the document?
Barcelona have managed only one win of their final seven league matches, struggling 4 defeats and drawing twice on this interval.
This dismal run mirrors their type from March 2008, when a 2-4 loss to Atletico Madrid started an identical droop. Again then, the staff endured a stretch of 9 video games with only one victory, alongside 4 defeats and 4 attracts.
Barcelona have misplaced three successive residence league matches. (Picture by Alex Caparros/Getty Photos)
Though a 6-0 win towards Valencia briefly offered hope, it was adopted by one other poor streak of eight matches with just one win.
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The present state of affairs sees Barcelona sitting on 38 factors after 19 matches, a tally closely impacted by their incapability to safe victories not too long ago.
Traditionally, that is one of many worst mid-season factors totals for the membership since 2004. For comparability, through the 2020-21 season, Barcelona had 37 factors at this stage beneath Ronald Koeman.
The next season was even bleaker, with a mere 31 factors after 19 video games, a interval that noticed Koeman, Sergi Barjuan, and Xavi all in cost at varied factors.
Hansi Flick now faces the difficult activity of reversing this downward spiral. Barcelona’s subsequent league match just isn’t till January 18, when they may journey to Getafe.
This prolonged break supplies Flick and his gamers a chance to regroup and handle the problems plaguing the staff. The hope might be to start out the brand new yr on a extra optimistic word, forsaking the poor outcomes which have outlined the tip of 2024.