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Barcelona traveled to Madrid on Saturday night knowing they were heading to a very important game.
The Catalans had already lost to Real Madrid this season and were losing points to Sevilla, so they were determined to put a real rival to the sword as a way to confirm that Ronald Koeman’s revolution was in full swing. That did not happen.
Atlético de Madrid achieved their first league victory over Barcelona with Cholo Simeone on the bench, a decade of games, thanks to a goal at the end of half-time by Yannick Carrasco after a reckless bet by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The result places the azulgrana in tenth place, nine points behind the leader of the Real Sociedad League and five above the last Huesca. Barcelona, in mid-November, is closer to the bottom than to the top.
“Barcelona is almost exactly the same as the team that was shipwrecked last season and is on track to turn this into a suffering rather than a transition,” wrote Jaime Rincón in Marca.
“The line of four [in defence] it is exactly the same. Sergino Dest at the moment has not supplanted Sergi Roberto as a right back and Jordi Alba has no competition. Without being able to sign Eric García and with Samuel Umtiti permanently absent, Barcelona have been left with three central centers, which could become two if a long-term injury to Gerard Piqué is confirmed.
“Miralem Pjanic only appeared in the double pivot because Sergio Busquets was injured, but the squad has not improved with the presence of the Bosnian and Frenkie de Jong is still far from the player who dazzled at Ajax.
“Lionel Messi continues his tortuous journey through the desert in which Antoine Griezmann is also drowning. Only Arturo Vidal and Luis Suárez have left the eleven that Quique Setién would have played to make way for Ansu Fati, Pedri, Ousmane Dembélé and Trincao, the only two positions in which a glimmer of hope. Two places out of eleven, that’s their revolution.
“It is true that, at times, Barcelona’s game has seemed different, and it is also true that Ronald Koeman has no luck with injuries. But it is also true that in the three background games, against Sevilla, Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, the rival was better.
“This is a young team that lacks hierarchy and is weak in important positions. Along with a declining Messi, it doesn’t seem like Barcelona is ready to do anything serious this season. “
Barcelona will need to recover quickly. They face two consecutive weeks of Champions League clashes in foreign lands, this Tuesday in Ukraine and the following Wednesday in Hungary.
In between, they face Osasuna and Cádiz in La Liga, two clubs that see the games against Barcelona and Real Madrid as free hits and will lick their lips at the prospect of aggravating their injury. Things could get ugly quickly.
Featured image courtesy of FC Barcelona.
