Hansi Flick's Pile of Problems at Barcelona at the Start of the Season

MADRID, MONDAY – Barcelona has fallen out of the top three positions in the temporary standings of La Liga following a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de Vallecas, Madrid, on Monday (1/9/2025) early morning WIB. While their eternal rivals, Real Madrid, are experiencing inefficiencies in their attacking line, Barca is facing issues in their defensive actions. However, the defensive aspect is just one of the many problems Barca is encountering at the beginning of this season.

Despite remaining unbeaten until the third week of the league, Barca has a host of issues that Flick must address. The most apparent weakness was the failure to maintain the lead at the home ground of Rayo, particularly in the defensive sector. Barca initially took the lead with a penalty goal from Lamine Yamal in the 40th minute, but they were equalized by Fran Perez in the second half.

Despite dominating possession, Barca came under constant pressure. Rayo registered six shots on target despite only having 43 percent possession. In contrast, Barca only managed three shots on target with 57 percent possession. Rayo's expected goals (xG) was also superior, with 1.85 compared to Barca's 1.83. This statistic indicates Rayo's more efficient play.

As in previous seasons, Barca's defensive style still relies on a high defensive line designed to act as an offside trap. This strategy has been successful in stopping Rayo's attacks on several occasions. However, Barca's high defensive line also carries significant risks, leaving their defense more vulnerable.

The golden opportunity for Rayo Vallecano through Jorge de Frutos highlighted the vulnerable side of Barca's defense, which was easily penetrated. Despite being guarded by Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia, Frutos was able to bypass the defense effortlessly and found himself face to face with goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

However, that golden opportunity evaporated in vain due to Garcia's quick response in blocking Frutos' close-range shot. The solidity of Barca's defense is questionable considering that Rayo's golden opportunity was created with just two touches of the ball but was able to pose an immediate threat to the goal.

Using a nearly identical strategy, Rayo managed to score a comeback goal in the 86th minute through Sergio Camello's strike. Fortunately for Barca, the goal was disallowed by the referee because Andrei Ratiu was already in an offside position when the rebound was received.

"We lost the ball more often than usual. When you lose the ball often, your opponents will launch more counter-attacks," said Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong, as quoted by Diario AS.

As the match approached its conclusion, Rayo continued to strive for a game-changing goal. Rayo's coach, Inigo Perez, instructed his players to push up the defensive line in order to quickly regain possession when Barca attempted to build their attack from the back. This approach proved effective. The Barca defenders, led by Garcia, often panicked and made mistakes while passing the ball.

In addition, Barca's midfield was quite soft when in possession of the ball, making it easy for Rayo players to seize it. This weakness invited danger, as seen in the opportunity obtained by Camello just seconds before the match ended. Rayo's efforts to add another goal were thwarted by Garcia's resilience. The score remained tied at 1-1 until the end of the match.

Flick acknowledged that his team played below their best performance. However, he praised the solid performances of Joan Garcia, Eric, and Christensen, which managed to prevent Barca from conceding more goals. Garcia even recorded five crucial saves. Flick directed criticism towards the midfield, which easily lost control.

In addition, Flick's problems were compounded by a blunt attacking line. Barca had several golden opportunities but failed to convert them into goals. One that was particularly regrettable was Dani Olmo's chance at an open goal, but his shot soared high over the target.

"There is no place for selfishness in this team. Last season, we played as a cohesive unit, and we need to demonstrate that again this season," said Flick.

Flick must work harder to refine his team's performance. Issues are spread across the defense, midfield, and forward lines. Nevertheless, Flick is fortunate to have the international break next week, providing him with more time to polish Barca into a better team. The international break is also hoped to halt the negative momentum that has begun to overshadow Barca.