Barca were the image of impotence against Cadiz
Without Pique the shouting on the pitch and sidelines came from Cadiz
There was half an hour to go before the doors were opened to the media at the Ramon de Carranza stadium. Two reporters were sent there, one from SPORT, along with four local media. From far away, you could hear some shouting. Clear and direct.
It was Alvaro Cervera, the Cadiz coach, who had met with his players inside the stadium and, sitting on a chair by an advertising hoarding with an improvised tactics board, he gave the team their final instructions.
Cadiz, recently promoted, are giving their all and getting their best from a squad that on paper is light years away from Barca. But on the pitch, they knew what they were doing and it was Ronald Koeman’s side that suffered.
Now the pandemic has left the stadiums sadly free of fans, you can hear that what is happing on the pitch. And weeks ago in Vitoria it was similar, Barca v Alaves. They put up a defensive wall and got a point against Barca.
Gerard Pique’s shouts echoed around Mendizorroza, but the the injured defender is out now and it was only Cadiz shouts. Even though it was Barca that needed to buck up their ideas and come from behind. It seems Barca take blows badly and can’t get back up. Without shouting, without soul.
Not just one or two players, but many looked lost, they had their heads down. Throwing away the league. They went direct to the dressing room at full time after mechanically reacting to the post-match greetings of the hosts. It’s barely December and Barcelona are 12 points behind Atletico. The kids don’t have their strikes and the veterans aren’t taking the wheel. The light is dimming at Barca.
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