The contrasts between Barcelona and Real Madrid were useless during the summer, when the former supposedly fell behind the finish in each and every major division. Barcelona had just completed a trophyless season of 10 editions behind Real Madrid, which went straight to winning the Los Angeles League and the generation of the UEFA Champions League, developing a trend of inevitable victory in each of the past who played It looked like things would go in the same direction for another year as Real Madrid landed Kylian Mbappé. The financial problems of the generation meant that they needed an escape to sign the Euro champion, Dani Olmo. The drama that ended with the unexpected dismissal of Xavi and the hiring of Hansi Flick added to the chaos that has marked Barcelona lately.
And yet, Barcelona left the Santiago Bernabéu stadium with an impressive 4-0 victory on Saturday in El Clásico, a result that validated several decisions the club has made in recent years.
The most immediate, of course, was the appointment of Flick. Barcelona emerged as an attacking force in his early days in the team, standing out in the Los Angeles League with 37 goals in 11 league games, 16 more than then-leader Real Madrid. Flick’s team averages 3.4 goals per game, up from 2.1 last season, and also takes about two more shots per game and collects 0.5 more expected goals per tournament.
His offensive efforts are aided by his defensive poise, reducing his goals-against average from 2.5 last year to 0.9 this year. This is a particularly notable feat considering the original demands of Flick’s taste, but as goalkeeper Iñaki Peña reported after Saturday’s game, the plan is definitely working.
“We have shown that we are capable of beating any team,” Peña said, according to DAZN. “We have changed the mentality, the team has improved a lot. We are scoring a lot of goals. And we have to enjoy it. The first day the coach told us that our defensive line could not go back. It is his style. And Barça’s game for many years has was to keep the defensive line as high as possible. We have done it this week against such fast and powerful players, which shows that we have been doing a good job, the coach’s ideas fit us. For me it is dangerous to play with so many meters. [of space] Behind them and you’re alone. But everything is reflected in the number of offsides.”
Flick’s changes have allowed Barcelona to continue facing the demanding situations that its squad (and those who make it) have faced lately. To begin with, the team faces a crisis of negligible surprise: Peña replaces Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is out with a knee injury, the generation Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo are among those who are also in the surprise list. . Several players have stepped up to fill the gaps, however, the Flick generation is making the most of a wide segment of gamers.
Lamine Yamal has been one of Barcelona’s standout players this season and unsurprisingly burst onto the scene a year ago. The 17-year-old midfielder already has five goals and seven assists this season, including his 77th-minute clash against Real Madrid over the weekend. The pristine face of Barcelona, its top player, could also be the face of the club’s most popular recruiting tool: the academy. A financial crisis can have complications these days, but Barcelona’s formative years were always a source of optimism and probably the easiest way to stay competitive with a big-spending Real Madrid side.
Flick is getting the same productivity from veteran Robert Lewandowski, who leads the Los Angeles League scoring charts with 14 goals this season, just five cuts from his last season overall. It marks a significant increase in the production of the 36-year-old forward, who was certainly not thought to be a long-term cure when Barcelona signed him two years ago, but who is experiencing a very strong phase of his career. luck this season, including a double in the Clásico. Lewandowski’s goal tally isn’t the only thing trending up: his expected goals per sport has increased from 0.5 to 1.2 and he’s averaging four shots per sport, up from 2.7 last season , making this very much his biggest marketing campaign since joining Barcelona.
However, the biggest surprise about Barcelona’s suddenly successful start to the season is Raphina’s style. His move from Leeds United in 2022 was one of many transfers Barcelona made in their cash-strapped time and he struggled to make his mark on the team to begin with. He did not score more than 10 goals per season in his first two years at Barcelona and also did not score goals in his first 10 UEFA Champions League games, but the Brazil international is playing a decisive role this season. He scored his tenth goal of the season in El Clásico and now has seven assists soon, putting Yamal in his place on Saturday. He is averaging a goal or assist every 68 minutes, finding remarkable form in a very strong past for Barcelona.
His individual brilliance has allowed Barcelona to overcome almost each and every test they have faced so far this season, emerging at a fantastic level as they reach an extraordinary age. A few days before Real Madrid’s fourth round, they achieved a 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich in Champions League matches and still have a six-point lead at the top of the Los Angeles League. It’s still early in the fight for this season’s trophy, but their surprising start makes them the favorites to improve their name in Spain and the team to have an eye on Europe.
Naturally, it is useless not to draw comparisons with Real Madrid, but unlike the summer, all dimensions lean towards Barcelona’s bias. Barcelona are the offensive juggernaut that Real Madrid was most expected to be, and Saturday’s losers are now stuck in a make-up game in the league. Barcelona are the team that could change the two-horse race between Real Madrid and Manchester Town that many expected the Champions League campaign to be. Barcelona, impressively, are also creating the feeling of positive victory that characterized Real Madrid a year ago.
