FC Barcelona: Bland Performance, but Important Victory Over Leganés

Despite obtaining the three points, Barcelona’s performance creates skepticism among Barça fans.

Following FC Barcelona’s debacle in Paris last Tuesday, both the players and Luis Enrique alike have faced criticism from fans and media sources, and Sunday’s victory does little to appease the crowds.

What began like a dream nearly ended as the Camp Nou’s worst nightmare. Barca narrowly evaded a draw against Leganés. The Blaugrana kicked off the match with intensity, pressuring Leganés on the last third of the pitch and holding a high defensive line. The team’s effort quickly paid off, and in the fourth minute of the match Lionel Messi scored his nineteenth league goal of the season.

However, following Messi’s early opener, and up to Leganés’ equalizer, the team was a replica of the team that was overpowered in Paris last week. Despite winning the game with a late penalty converted by Messi, the team’s performance was mediocre at best. This match raised questions regarding the team’s aptitude and commitment.

The most notable problems on Sunday’s match occurred as a product of inaccuracies in midfield. Barcelona have recently lacked a strong presence in midfield, partly due to the injuries of Iniesta and Sergio Busquets. The absence of a leading figure in midfield manifests itself through gaps in defense, little creativity in offense, and frankly, lack of good football.

As a Culé, I do not like to severely criticize individual players. However, it is clear that the Camp Nou feels that André Gomes is largely responsible for the result in Paris. In addition, the Portuguese midfielder was one of the causes of the temporary crisis on Sunday. The relentless crowd dismissed the Portuguese with resounding whistles, which Luis Enrique criticized in a post-match interview.

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André Gomes’ poor display of football was a perfect personification of Barça’s midfield in recent matches; he was timid in attack and unassertive in defense. The Portuguese, who transferred to the club last summer, failed to present himself to his teammates as an alternative when the team attempted to create plays from the back. His awkward movements in the pitch created large gaps in midfield, and he lacked intensity in defense.

Rakitić and Rafinha, Gomes’ partners in midfield, failed to play a leading role in the development of the match as well, however, unlike the Portuguese, they presented alternatives in attack, aided the defensive line, and simply displayed more intensity and determination on the pitch.

At the end, a burst of Neymar’s talent and Messi’s efficacy secured the three points for the Blaugrana, so many believe there is no reason to worry. Sadly, this is not the case.

Despite the positive result on Sunday, Barca has a great problem in hand. The team lacks chemistry, intensity, and morale. The silence inside the stadium on Sunday is an alarming indication of skepticism from the Catalan crowd.

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From what I have read on social media throughout the past week, Culés believe that FC Barcelona can turn the Champions League tie around and progress to the next stage. However, they acknowledge it will be a difficult task. To many, the team’s performance over the next two weeks will provide an accurate representation of the club’s chances of turning around the crushing defeat in the first leg. Many others believe the next two weeks will also determine Luis Enrique’s future as Barcelona’s coach. Therefore, despite obtaining three points against Leganés, FC Barcelona could be preparing to experience major changes.