Only a few weeks ago, Barcelona looked to be running away with the Spanish title. They were clear at the top of La Liga and were setting a pace that nobody, not Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid or anyone else, was seemingly capable of matching. Now, though, the Catalans are in free-fall, winning just one of their last six league matches.
Sunday’s home defeat to Leganes was a particularly damaging one. While Hansi Flick’s team had already suffered a loss at home this season (to Las Palmas at the end of November), Barca were devoid of attacking ideas against an opponent fighting against relegation from La Liga this season.
It was a stark contrast to the exciting Barcelona side that started the 2024/25 campaign with seven straight wins. It wasn’t just the results, it was the performances too. Barca were an unstoppable attacking force. They had the most dangerous forward line in Spain, and European soccer too.
An injury suffered by Lamine Yamal in November knocked Barcelona out of their stride. Without their prodigious creative attacker, they lacked invention in the final third. Robert Lewandowski didn’t have the same service. The balance of the Barca team was off as opponents started to take chunks out of the Catalans.
Defensively, it was possibly the case that Barcelona were always likely to explode at some point. Even when they were winning every match and scoring goals for fun, there was a sense that Flick’s extremely high defensive line gave opponents too much space to exploit in behind. They were walking a tight rope, and now they’ve fallen off.
Osasuna were the first opposition team to truly expose Barca’s defensive approach, beating the Catalans 4-2 at the end of September, but most observers put that down to Flick rotating the majority of his lineup for that game. Since then, though, Barcelona’s defensive fragility has been more difficult for the German to explain.
“The players believe in the way we are playing,” insisted Flick when asked about his high-risk approach and how it might be contributing to Barcelona’s current poor form. “They know how good they are, but these games have shown that we need to work harder in training.”
This weekend’s match against Atletico Madrid has the potential to be a defining moment in Barcelona’s season. A victory over one of the Catalans’ closest rivals would point them in the right direction again. Atleti are currently on an 11-match winning run in all competitions and so a Barca win would make a statement.
Another defeat, however, would paint a picture of a team in a state of collapse. It would put Atletico Madrid clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with Real Madrid also holding the opportunity to pass their fierce rivals – Carlo Ancelotti’s team are one point behind Barca with a game in-hand.
Talent-wise, Barcelona are still in a good place. In Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Casado and others, they boast an exciting continent of homegrown players. This has allowed Barca to become competitive again at the elite level. La Masia’s conveyer belt is moving again and the talent is rolling off the end.
Raphinha has been a player transformed since the start of the season. Barca wanted to sell the Brazilian in the summer transfer window with Nico Williams targeted. However, Raphinha has since registered 17 goals and eight assists in all competitions this season, proving his doubters emphatically wrong.
If Flick can maintain the high attacking output of his team, Barcelona might be able to absorb their defensive weakness to win the Spanish title. They could also compete for the Champions League title with the Catalans currently sitting second in the 36-team table. Barca’s only defeat came against Monaco when they played with 10 men for the majority of the match.
There’s no denying, though, that Barcelona are at a crossroads in their campaign, and possibly in Flick’s tenure as manager. The initial signs were that the German’s approach was perfect for the Catalans. Now, doubts have arisen. Barca need a win over Atletico Madrid to prove this union can still deliver success.
