Due to the fact that the players are scheduled to return to training on Sunday in order to get ready for the forthcoming UEFA Champions League home game against FC Porto, Barcelona does not have any time to reflect on the most recent 1-1 draw that they played against Rayo Vallecano.
Because of the Blaugrana’s loss to Shakhtar Donetsk by a score of 0-1 in the competition, the team’s life has become more difficult than it would have been otherwise, and any result less than a victory would be considered negative.
With four games under their belt and nine points, Barcelona is now in the lead in the standings. On the other hand, it is important to point out that Porto has amassed a comparable number of goals, and the only reason the Portuguese team is behind is because they have a lower goal differential.
Also included is Shakhtar, who has a total of six points. In the event that Barcelona suffers a defeat or even plays a draw against Porto, the final matchweek will determine whether or not they will be able to advance to the knockout stage of the competition.
As the team gets ready for a match against FC Porto, which is a match that they absolutely have to win, here are six things that they need to work on in order to achieve a successful conclusion. It is important to keep in mind that these metrics are mostly focused on the performance of key players during the midweek period.
There is no time to give in.
As time goes on, Barcelona is beginning to earn a reputation for being a side that enjoys giving up an early goal. Out of the fourteen League matches that have been played, their opponents have gained the lead in six of those encounters, including the most recent meeting against Rayo Vallecano.
Villarreal, Celta Vigo, Mallorca, Granada, Alaves, and Rayo Vallecano are just some of the teams that have managed to drive Xavi’s team into comeback situations on a continuous basis. Some of these comeback situations have been left unfinished.
Barcelona have always been known to have match-winning forwards, but given the circumstance, they must rely on their midfield engine to decide the tempo of the game.
This season, Barcelona’s midfield has faced challenges, particularly with injuries affecting key players like Gavi. Yet, it is very important for Xavi to entrust the midfield reins to the revitalized duo of Pedri and De Jong, with support from Ilkay Gundogan and Fermin Lopez.
More scorers
Barcelona forwards have struggled to have a stronghold so far. Joao Felix, for instance, has been unable to find the back of the net in the League since September 16 and in the Champions League since September 19, enduring a goal drought spanning 12 games.
This struggle is not unique to the Portuguese, as Rapinha, too, has failed to mark a goal since September 26.
Lamine Yamal scored his last and only goal on October 8 against Granada. Furthermore, while Ferran Torres has made crucial goal contributions in Europe, he has been unable to replicate that success in the league since September 16.
Feed Robert Lewandowski
One of the things that has been causing Barcelona the greatest trouble is the fact that Robert Lewandowski has not been receiving enough services. Due to the fact that the Poland international appears to be a mere spectator in the absence of appropriate assistance, it is of the utmost significance for Barcelona to bring him back into the game.During the encounter against Rayo Vallecano, the experienced forward had only one shot that was successful in hitting the target. To add insult to injury, he was unable to get any shots on goal throughout the match against Real Sociedad. In his match against Real Madrid, he was only able to get one shot on target, but in his match against Mallorca, he succeeded in getting two shots on goal. Despite the fact that these stats are well below Barcelona’s expectations, they demonstrate that he is not receiving sufficient support from his teammates.