When things could not go all the more wrong, Barcelona dropped to 2nd place in La Liga. The Blaugranas are having one of their worst patches of form after what was a promising start to the season. The team played Celta Vigo last Sunday night at Camp Nou. The game was a tough one for the Blaugranas with Celta being such a bogey side. The first half and the second one were 2 different stories. Things looked far from comfortable in the second half for Barcelona. Had it not been for Marc Andre Ter Stegen’s heroic performance yet again, Barcelona would have surely dropped points.
As for the much-awaited Clasico, Barcelona were far from their best against Real Madrid. This questions Xavi’s tactics and his chosen team as many felt Sergio Busquets should have been dropped. Frenkie De Jong, Pedri, and Gavi should be the chosen midfield for Barcelona which was not the case in the Clasico. Jules Kounde is featured in the Clasico 100% fit. The Frenchman was brilliant, considering it was his first game in about a month, returning from injury. But this does present loopholes in the team’s structure and the way they are set up.
The 3-1 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid in the Clasico was a bitter one to take for Barcelona. The performance drew criticism as the team did not know what to do. Real Madrid were simply much better and much more clinical than them. The hosts scored when it mattered the most and did not give Barca a chance to mount a comeback. The month of October has been really poor for the Catalans as they have lost out on all the big games. When it mattered, the team failed to step up and thus the consequences are there.
Is it over for Busquets at Barca?
Though the whole team was poor against Real Madrid, one player has been under heavy scrutiny since then. Sergio Busquets started alongside the likes of De Jong and Pedri which was a debated decision for many. It should have been De Jong in the CDM position with his mobility and pace coming into use. It feels like it is time over for Busquets at the club as he looks set to depart next year.
But Xavi was not having any of it and still feels that Busquets is an important part of the squad.
“ It is always the same 3-4 players that are called out in defeats. It does not change anything for me. Busquets is still very important for me and being the Captain, he is a part of the team’s machinery. We have a very healthy dressing room and things like this would not work out as they are working on the inside.“
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