Two key differences between a title-running and title-forfeiting Barcelona

Girona beat Barcelona 4-2 when the two teams met at Montjuic earlier this season and managed to churn out the same scoreline against Xavi’s men last night in a complete humiliation.

The win takes Girona back to second-place in La Liga and one point above Barcelona. With just four games to go and the team looking out of shape, it could well reflect the final standings.

But where did it all go wrong?

Crumbling on a single touch

Years have rolled by at Barcelona, but the team’s tendency to snap at the slightest hint of pressure still remains the same.

That, by far, has been the difference between the team’s title-winning run last season and title-forfeiting run this time around. There is a mental element to Barcelona’s subpar season and it is far from being resolved.

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

It does not take more than a single negative development on the field to change the colour of Barcelona’s performance. The fear of a collapse then immediately sets in, nerves take over, and the game is doomed.

Last night’s clash against Girona was more of the same. Xavi’s men dished out a very decent first half, creating threats and missing chances as is the norm.

They even went into the half-time break with a lead to their name and the game under control. It all went haywire, however, after Girona’s equaliser in the second period.

With the nerves overwhelming players on the field once again, Barcelona soon began misplacing their passes. Every passing Girona attack shattered the Catalans’ confidence more.

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Jules Kounde and Joao Cancelo on the flank appeared virtually helpless against the hosts’ counter-attacks and long passes and showed poor game reading overall.

Individual mistakes bear heavy

It was an individual mistake that cost Barcelona a place in the UEFA Champions League semifinal.

Last weekend, the same factor once again saw the Catalans almost go down to Valencia.

The game at Montilivi, once again, saw…

Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/two-key-differences-between-a-title-running-and-title-forfeiting-barcelona/

Author : Adithya Eshwarla

Publish date : 2024-05-05 16:32:37

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