Barcelona started off the season in arguably the best form they have shown in years, culminating in the thrashings of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. However things could scarcely have gone worse in La Liga since that high point.
Their latest defeat against Leganes has made it just one win in six games in domestically, a run that has seen them drop 13 points and give up their lead in the table. Those numbers are not even the most concerning.
As pointed out by Sport, Barcelona have 38 points from their opening 18 games – the exact same as under Xavi Hernandez last year, in a season widely qualified as disastrous by the end of it. They are 7 points behind where they were when they won the league with Xavi, but at least have scored 16 more goals and conceded one less than last season.
The same outlet go on to note that the last time that Barcelona went on such a poor run of form, Ronald Koeman found himself without a job. Marca also highlight that over the last five matchdays in La Liga, no team has taken less points than the two that Barcelona have – Valencia and Alaves both have three, with Ruben Baraja’s job security in question, and Chacho Coudet recently installed at Mendizorrotza.
Barcelona are on the verge of completing a deal for Cardoso Varela, a 16-year-old FC Porto winger. The player and his agent landed in Barcelona this morning and had lunch with Deco. They're visiting the Ciutat Esportiva right now. @monfortcarlos pic.twitter.com/G4tniu1uhz
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) December 16, 2024
Another issue facing Flick is their inability to react to adversity. Since comebacks early in the season against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia in August, MD note Barcelona have not been able to take a single point from games in which they have gone behind: AS Monaco, Osasuna, Real Sociedad, Las Palmas and Leganes.
Barcelona face Atletico Madrid on Saturday night, and will be without chief creator Lamine Yamal due to injury too, in a clash that could be decisive in the title race. All the same, if the players and Flick do not find a way to counter their recent struggles, the race will be over for the Blaugrana sooner rather than later.