The summer transfer window ended a few days ago, and the La Liga action is kicking back to its very best. Just four complete match days into the Spanish League, the footballing action has been more than enthralling for football fans. From beautiful goals to exquisite displays of passing and rock-solid defending, it already feels much heat in the title competition.
FC Barcelona 4 points clear at the top after the 4th La Liga match day
As expected, clubs like Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Girona have been remarkable, but what was somehow unexpected has been Barca's resurgence early in this season. Coming off a hot and cold preseason tour, crusading over European giants like Manchester City and Real Madrid but losing to AC Milan and humiliation against Monaco, questions had been raised about the club's stability.
Currently, with four impressive performances, in particular the dominating display against Valladolid, FC Barcelona finds itself clear at the top, 4 points ahead of Clasico rivals Real Madrid. Even though it was expected that the signing of Kylian Mbappe would have Madrid unstoppable, losing points against Mallorca and Las Palmas hasn't helped their cause.
On the other hand, FC Barcelona has felt a totally different setup under Hansi Flick. With a rock-solid display from Kounde and Cubarsi in defense, the mavericks of the duo of Pedri and Olmo, and to finish the attack, Yamal's trio with Raphinha and Lewandowski has proven enough for opposition clubs.
But now, with four match days completed, La Liga is set to resume after a two-week international break around mid-September. Moreover, having a host of exciting fixtures on the other side of the break, including Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad, FC Barcelona vs. Girona, and Atletico Madrid vs. Valencia, the league feels to become much more open.
Analyzing from Barcelona's perspective the upcoming fixtures against a strong Girona lineup, followed by the Champions League game against Monaco and another game within two days against Villarreal, it would certainly not be easy for Flick's side to keep going with the same momentum. Moreover, having the thinnest squad depths ever, it would become much more difficult for the German boss to manage the players' workload.
Overall, the upcoming matchdays are going to be extremely important for FC Barcelona, playing a huge role in their season ahead. The way the club has been doing so far, many expectations would be from them to contend for major titles this season.