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In a shocking turn of events, Barcelona suffered their second consecutive La Liga players loss at home to relegation candidates Las Palmas on Saturday. The 2-1 defeat marked a worrying trend for the Catalan side, who have now taken just one point from their last three matches. The performance was a stark reminder that even the best teams in the world can have an off day.
The Threat of Las Palmas
Las Palmas arrived at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys with a clear plan to exploit Barcelona’s high back-line and catch them on the counter-attack. And, for the most part, they succeeded in doing just that. The visitors’ attack-minded approach paid dividends as they carved out several scoring opportunities, forcing Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena into a string of impressive saves.
The Brazilian forward, Raphinha, was the home side’s biggest threat throughout the match. His pace and skill on the ball were evident from the start, and he looked like a man on a mission to cause chaos in front of Las Palmas’ defense. However, despite his best efforts, Barca’s attack struggled to find consistency, with their usual cutting edge proving elusive.
Barcelona’s High-Pressing
Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side were guilty of overloading the high back-line, leaving themselves vulnerable to counter-attacks. This tactic was not new to the team, but on this particular occasion, it seemed to have limited their ability to create scoring chances. The hosts’ lack of cohesion and movement in midfield further hindered their chances of breaking down the Las Palmas defense.
As the match wore on, Flick made five substitutions in an attempt to change the tempo of Barca’s attack. However, these changes only seemed to introduce more uncertainty into the team’s play. Pedri’s introduction brought some much-needed creativity to the midfield, but it was not enough to stem the tide against a Las Palmas side that was growing increasingly confident.
The Turning Point (La liga players)
Las Palmas’ second goal came in the 69th minute, courtesy of a fine pass from Javi Munoz that found Fabio Silva, who slotted home with ease. This marked a turning point in the match, as Barca began to look like they were struggling to cope with the visitors’ pace and movement.
Despite their best efforts, including several shots on goal from Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona were unable to find an equalizing goal. The Polish striker’s free-kick was expertly saved by ex-Barca goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, while his late shot in stoppage time was similarly dealt with by the former Blaugrana custodian.
The Heroics of Raphinha
One player who could be credited with salvaging some pride for Barca was Raphinha. The Brazilian forward’s individual brilliance was a highlight of an otherwise disappointing match. He left Las Palmas’ defenders flapping around in stoppage time, but his effort hit the bar and denied Barcelona a chance to level the score.
Raphinha’s ability to beat opponents with his pace and skill was a constant threat throughout the match. His set-piece expertise also caused problems for the visitors’ defense, as evidenced by the excellent free-kick he attempted in the dying minutes.
Lamine Yamal – A Substitute Too Late?
One player who looked particularly out of sorts on Saturday was Lamine Yamal. The French defender’s lack of coordination and positioning were exposed time and again by Las Palmas, who capitalized on his errors to score two goals.
It remains to be seen whether Yamal will continue to struggle in this match against Las Palmas. Flick is likely to have some strong words for the left-back after this performance, and it’s possible that he may not even make the starting lineup next time out.
The Fallout
Barcelona’s second consecutive loss has sent shockwaves through the La Liga players title race. Real Madrid, who are four points behind with two games in hand, have now been given a significant helping hand by Barca’s performance.
Flick will be under pressure to get his team back on track, and quickly. A repeat of this level of performance against Elche or Valencia could prove disastrous for the Catalan side. As the season wears on, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Barcelona need to address their defensive vulnerabilities if they are to have any hope of winning the title.
Player Ratings
GOAL rates Barcelona’s players from Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys:
- Inaki Pena (GK) – 6/10
- Jules Kounde (CB) – 7/10
- Eric Garcia (CB) – 5/10
- Lamine Yamal (LB) – 4/10
- Andreas Christensen (CB) – 5/10
- Pedri (CM) – 8/10
- Raphinha (RW) – 9/10
- Memphis Depay (LW) – 5/10
- Lewandowski (ST) – 5/10
- Ansu Fati (AM) – 6/10
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