Barça an embarrassment against LaLiga's bottom team

Barça an embarrassment against LaLiga's bottom team

Lluís Mascaró

Director de Información Deportiva de Prensa Ibérica

El Barça tropezó en Butarque ante el colista de Primera
El Barça tropezó en Butarque ante el colista de Primera | sport

This Barça is a disaster. At least the Barça we saw on Wednesday against Leganes. A painful defeat, very painful, against La Liga's bottom team going into the game. The worst thing of all was how Barça played: no resources attack, no control in midfield and a black hole in defence. What a setup for a team that wants to win everything! Valverde, to blame for his decisions before and during the game, must reflect. A lot. But not just him -- everyone. Everyone messed up. And that's the most worrying thing... 

Valverde made changes once again. If against Girona he left Rakitic and Coutinho on the bench (although they came to try and turn things around after the break), this time it was Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez affected by rotations. An opportunity for Vermaelen at left-back and Munir in attack. Both disappointed. A lot. But it wasn't just their fault. It was the laziness of a team that gives the sensation it wants to win without sweating. And that's impossible. Not even against La Liga's bottom team. 

Barça still look unbalanced. Valverde admitted it in his press conference. And they make too many errors. Especially in defence. Both Leganes' goals, which came in two minutes, came from errors by Vermaelen and Pique (and what an error!). The Blaugrana have now conceded seven goals in six games. Numbers which reveal their weakness in defence at the moment. And of the defensive system of the whole team. The lack of concentration at some moments was alarming. 

The same happened against Girona. Although on that occasion a point was saved. And the blame was shifted to Gil Manzano who (unfairly) sent off Lenglet. But the reality is: this Barça is a long (long, long) way from being the team we expect them to be. If the objective is to win everything (starting with the Champions League, without forgetting La Liga) they're doing it wrong. The embarrassment in Butarque was historical.