Barcelona's Polish forward #09 Robert Lewandowski reacts after missing a chance to score during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and UD Las Palmas at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on November 30, 2024. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP) (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)
Barcelona lost 2-1 against Las Palmas as Robert Lewandowski blanked
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick held an emergency meeting with his squad following their humiliating 2-1 loss at home to Las Palmas - and even Robert Lewandowski didn't escape criticism.
Lewandowski, 36, has scored 22 goals in just 20 appearances across all competitions this season, picking up where he left off under Flick at former club Bayern Munich. But the Polish striker blanked on Saturday as Las Palmas recorded their first away win against Barcelona since 1971.
Goals from Premier League flops Sandro Ramirez and Fabio Silva did the damage, cancelling out Raphinha's second-half equaliser. Lewandowski created four chances but only fired off shot - which missed the target - throughout the 90 minutes.
The gap between Real Madrid and top-of-the-table Barca is now down to just one point, with Flick's side recording a draw and two defeats in their last three La Liga fixtures. Ahead of Tuesday's trip to Mallorca, Flick reportedly delayed training by one hour to hold a meeting analysing the Las Palmas match.
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According to Madrid-based newspaper Marca, Flick laid into his players for their abject performances. Once they were out on the training pitch, the ex-Bayern and Germany boss took Lewandowski aside for a one-to-one conversation and criticised his display.
Lewandowski also didn't score as he picked up an injury during last month's 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad but he did net before disaster struck in their 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo. The 36-year-old is expected to keep his place in the starting line-up against Mallorca, with Flick calling on his players to 'fight'.
"Today I spoke about fighting, the necessary fight, not just about playing football," the German revealed in reference to his meeting. "When I was a player I focused a lot on this attitude, I've never liked to lose and I think we have to create more of a fighting mentality to win games. We do well in some situations on the pitch but we have room to improve."
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Hansi Flick wants to see more 'fight' from his players ( Image: Javier Borrego/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Barca's poor form has led to suggestions that Flick could hand Lewandowski's former Poland team-mate, Wojciech Szczesny, a debut in goal, having come out of retirement to join on a free transfer in October to cover for the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Flick, though, won't drop academy graduate Inaki Pena.
"He [Szczesny] is in good shape, he is doing well in training and we don't have a plan in mind for him to debut," the German revealed. "Inaki is number 1."
£51million signing Dani Olmo could return to the starting XI for Tuesday's game while defender Ronald Araujo is edging closer to his first appearance under Flick. "All the players except Ronald are ready to play," he confirmed. "Araujo is fine, raising his level, almost ready, I can't say when because I don't want to say anything. In training he looks good and is making steps forward.
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