FC Barcelona has crossed one of the darkest periods in the Hansi Flick era. In the space of four days, the Catalans have chained two scathing defeats, revealing a lack of physical freshness, collective inspiration and personality. After having sank at Camp Nou on Wednesday evening against a decimated Paris Saint-Germain (1-2) in the Champions League, the Blaugrana were swept 4-1 by a FC Seville FC at RamĂłn Sánchez Pizjuán. Two setbacks that hurt, especially since they highlight a team in full doubt, worn mentally and unable to react to adversity. The European dream has turned into disillusionment, and the sudden fall in Andalusia confirms that Barça de Flick has lost the thread of a project still under construction. In Seville, the Barcelonans appeared apathetic as soon as you kick off. Deprived of several holders (Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Gavi, FermĂn, Ter Stegen), they offered a performance without rhythm or aggressiveness, undergoing the physical superiority and determination of the men of MatĂas Almeyda. A questionable penalty caused by a clumsy Ronald AraĂşjo and transformed by Alexis Sánchez paved the way for a collective ordeal. Isaac Romero, untenable, then punished a disorganized Barcelona defense, bringing the scoring to 2-0 before the break.
Despite a flash of Rashford, author of a magnificent recovery on a service in Pedri, Barça never seemed able to reverse the trend. Pataud in transmissions, fragile in duels, and without real leader on the field, the title of Spanish in title has displayed a disturbing face: “Today's feeling should give us strength for the rest of the season. The team has tried, we have good players and they will prove it. We have to learn from that. With this defeat, with this feeling that we have, it is important that we have it and when we will come back from the truce, we will fight for each title. The result was not good, but the team's reaction in the second half was. We must continue, we will see after the break. We had more ball and we created more opportunities in the second half. It is our quality. We failed to do it in the first half, because they were very aggressive in the duels in one against one and we failed to find our pace from the rear. This is not a system problem, we made a lot of big mistakes in the first period. They have pressed us well, but it is now the past. I said after the match against PSG that you had to learn and we're going to do it, the same for today. Some players will come back. We play for a fantastic club, but also for fans and it is normal that they are disappointed“Said Hansi Flick. The second period confirmed the structural deficiencies of Barça Flick version.
The players are affected but patients
More enterprising after the break, the Catalans lacked efficiency in key moments: a penalty failed by Lewandowski in the 76th minute symbolized the helplessness of a collective with a total loss of confidence. Seville, he has shown freezing realism, concluding the meeting with two surgical counterattacks signed Carmona and Akor Adams: “We lack a lot of things, honestly. With the ball, we could not break their individual pressure. We lacked intensity in defense. The referee told me that the fault on Kounde before Seville's second goal was very light. On another action from Seville, I tell him that it is light and he tells me that I am right, but there is a fault where he whistles and the other not. In the first half, we did not defend well or attack. We must be very self -criticism. Lewy's big spleen? A failure of Robert Lewandowski can happen and we must be self -criticism throughout the match», Analyzed Pedri. Result: a humiliation 4-1, which is added to European disillusionment and makes Barça back in the classification behind Real Madrid. Flick, who had chosen to maintain most of his executives despite fatigue and stifling heat, saw his plan collapse in the face of a cooler and more united opponent.
This nightmare week may mark a turning point. The team seems out of breath, deprived of automatisms and confidence, with failing individuals and a bench too limited to compensate for injuries. The German coach will have to take advantage of the international break to restore meaning to the project and revive the dynamics. Barça needs to find clarity in its ideas, cohesion in its lines and character in difficult times: “In the second half, we had very good opportunities, but it's football. We cannot let ourselves go as we did during the last actions. For the future, we must analyze these errors“, Pau Cubarsi said. As Alejandro BaldĂ©, the Spanish defender did not hide his disappointment: “A blow. It was also a difficult match because of timing and weather, but these are not apologies. This is probably our worst match since the start of the season, but in the second half, we had many opportunities, we could have scored and equalized. We have to learn, and we will be better in the next match ”
After the defeat against a lessened PSG and the Andalusian debacle, the Catalan club touches the bottom. He now has no other choice than to react so as not to see his season switch to fall: “Arrogance? No. It's completely different. We tried everything, but winning football is not just about scoring more goals. We had opportunities, but what happened today has happened and the result was not good for us. Now you have to keep your head high and move forward. “It is good to have a break, that the players go in selection with a different mood. When they come back, we will work hard to come back to our level. We need some players at their highest level. My worst defeat? My most difficult defeat took place in the semi-finals in Milan. Now I have to accept it and consider it positively. We can analyze the negative points and we have to change them, especially in the first time, especially in the first half and we have to change them, especially in the first time and we have to change them, especially in the first time, especially in the first time and we have to change them, especially in the first time, especially in the first time and we have to change them, especially in the first time, especially in the first half and we have to change them. errors and have failed to control the ball or control it in certain spaces, and that's what we have to do to play at this level“Concluded Flick. Exhausted and in full doubt after its defeat against PSG, Barça of Hansi Flick sank in Seville (4-1), confirming a disturbing loss of speed.
