It is not the first time that the first adversity encountered becomes for Barcelona an Everest that is impossible to climb. Xavi's team has drowned in a glass of water at key moments of the season with almost no swimming to save themselves or see if they could stand up for air.
The last three defeats against PSG, Madrid and Girona can be explained, respectively, by the expulsion of Araújo, Lucas's equalizer followed by Fermín's goal and the fatal transfer back of Sergi Roberto that caused the 2- 2 of Portu. Barça bowed its head in the three games after those three episodes despite the fact that there were still many minutes left.
It also almost happened against Valencia after Ter Stegen's overconfidence when trying to dribble Hugo Duro with a hat, which cost him the 1-1 score after half an hour. It was not until the 83rd minute that the Blaugrana regained the advantage again.
It is the demonstration that at the first crack Barça has shattered. After a slap, he turned the other cheek. With morale affected, he has been unable to calm down and react even though football is a game of mistakes. He dramatized mistakes and fell apart easily.
This season that mental fragility has been a burden. The Blaugrana have not been able to be competitive as they have no defensive security (68 goals conceded), but they have not been quiet or skilled either. In up to 10 games they have conceded three or more goals. That is, in one of every five games he has played they have had that handicap. And, of course, they only won one: in August at the La Cerámica stadium.
He scored five goals from Villarreal in Montjuïc on January 27, the night that Arabian Super Cup, in San Mamés in the Cup and in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against PSG) and the other two were against Girona (2-4 and 4-2).
The problem is that it hasn't just been the strong rivals who have abused them, because Antwerp and Granada also beat them three times in 90 minutes.
Talentless waste. The concatenation of failures in the field has continued in investments and planning. There is an alarming lack of talent in the squad. And that after spending almost 250 million, without the variables, on five signings. Ferran Torres was the first major payment in December 2021. The following summer Lewandowski, Raphinha and Koundé arrived. This Christmas Vitor Roque joined.
All, except the Frenchman, are forwards, and only Lewandowski was truly decisive in his first season, in which he scored 33 goals. Currently there are 24 (5 from penalties), a number that, together with the fact that he will turn 36 in August and his salary is increasing, means that his future is up in the air.
In a very delicate moment, the massive commitment to Vitor Roque, who has not made his debut in the Champions League and has only two starts in the League, is even more squeaky. In the last four games, Xavi has not used it. “Either he has more minutes or he will be sold,” said the Brazilian's agent, André Cury, on RAC1. The player's entourage does not want to hear about a loan and is putting pressure on him. “The boy has a contract. If we chose Barça, because we had other options to win double, it is because we wanted to play for Barça. But if the club or the coach doesn't let him demonstrate, we will have to find another way."
Although it is true that there is also the will to look at and hire players who arrive freely and for free. Since their victory in the March 2021 elections, 11 players have landed at zero cost (Agüero, Memphis, Eric Garcia, Aubameyang, Alves, Christensen, Kessié, Bellerín, Marcos, Gündogan and Iñigo Martínez), not counting loans.
The economy is not taking off. After a blank season, in which the best news and almost the only one is – again – the prominence of La Masia with the discoveries of Lamine Yamal, Cubarsí and Fermín, if there is no news, Barça will once again have problems registering football players. With the wage bill exceeded, winning financial fair play will depend on some sales of important players and meeting the season's budget. During the year, 40 million from the first payment from the sale of 49.5% of Barça Studios to Libero are recorded as income. Money that the club has not seen, since the German company backed down. Laporta's board has been announcing for some time that it has other offers from new buyers, but the money, which must come in before June 30, has still not arrived.
Looking ahead to the next season, in which they might not go to Arabia for the Super Cup, with the economic damage that this represents - they did not qualify for the first club World Cup either -, Barça committed to LaLiga that they would receive (also from I release another 60 million from the second term through that same lever, which obviously also has to be looked for. Accounting is another sin that is repetitive.
