Barcelona Suffers Major Loss Against Sevilla
In a disappointing outing for Barcelona, the team suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat against Sevilla, marking their most severe loss under manager Hansi Flick. Analyst Craig Burley highlighted that this performance showcased deep-rooted issues within the squad.
During the recent international break, any conversation with a Barcelona supporter regarding this match might lead to excuses centered around missed opportunities, such as Robert Lewandowski’s failed penalty and Roony Bardghji’s close chance. However, these justifications do little to mask the reality of their performance, which has been underwhelming for several weeks.
This season, Barcelona has participated in roughly 1,000 minutes of competitive play across multiple competitions, performing well for only about 48% of that time. Such inconsistency raises concerns about their ability to defend their status as La Liga champions and compete in the UEFA Champions League effectively.
Leading into the season, opening matches revealed troubling signs. For instance, although they started strong against Mallorca, even taking a lead, their performance was lackluster, prompting a harsh critique from Flick. He expressed his disappointment, indicating that the team’s focus was only at 50% level.
Barcelona’s struggles continued in subsequent matches. They faced difficulties against Levante, finding themselves down at halftime and narrowly avoiding defeat. Flick’s criticism of the team’s performance reflected a growing frustration within the club.
Against newly promoted Real Oviedo, despite winning 3-1, they again demonstrated vulnerabilities that have resulted in conceding first in several league matches — an ominous trend that does not align with championship-level play.
Sevilla’s coach, Matías Almeyda, took note of Barcelona’s weaknesses, rallying his players to take advantage of them. The result was a confident and dominant performance from Sevilla, who could have even set a record for the largest home victory against Barcelona if they had capitalized on more of their scoring chances.
Among those witnessing the match was former Sevilla player Diego Capel, who noted the historical significance of the clash. However, despite their 1-0 lead, a spectacular volley from Marcus Rashford just before halftime seemed to seal the fate for Sevilla fans, who are accustomed to the notion that big teams often capitalize on such moments.
Capel expressed frustration at Barcelona’s seemingly fortunate goal scored with an assist from Pedri. The mood among fans was indicative of their fears — a team that could not maintain dominance against a lesser opponent may not have what it takes to contend for titles.
After the defeat, Pedri candidly admitted the team’s performance was severely lacking, identifying poor ball control and a lack of intensity as critical failures. If Barcelona does not improve their pressing and defensive approaches, their ambitions for the season could be in jeopardy.
According to the latest statistics, Barcelona’s ability to recover possession has notably declined, falling below the league average — an alarming trend for a team once revered for its defensive prowess.
Looking forward, Flick expressed hope that the team would recover after the international break and promised a renewed commitment to fight for every title. However, achieving this will require a significant overhaul in mentality, fitness, and performance consistency to avoid further setbacks on the path ahead.
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