Lack Luster Performance from FC Barcelona !

Opening day, not living up to the expectations!

After the wonderous pre-season and extraordinary transfer window, FC Barcelona was high flying as they took on Rayo Vallecano in Spotify Camp Nou. But Barcelona team didn't live up to its expectations.

The first season of the league is always gives a very competitive feeling. It was an electric environment as Spotify Camp Nou was almost fully booked with a whooping 81,094 fans present that day to see their favorite team succeed. It was the second highest attendance post Covid-19 situation.

Before the match, we could see a lot of fans wearing Lewandowski jersey and lot of Polish flags been waived in Camp Nou. This proves that Lewandowski has won the hearts of Culers already. The lineup Xavi choose was very comfortable from his part as he lot of squad depth. 

Andreas Christensen got the nod from Xavi along side Eric Garcia in the center-back positions. Jordi Alba started with an unusual Ronald Araujo on the LB and RB positions respectively. Pablo Gavi started with Pedri in the Engine Room and Raphinha paired up with Ousmane Dembele in the attacking prowess area. Robert Lewandowski was the sole striker in the lineup.

FC Barcelona started off pretty well with a move instantiated by none other than our attacking masterpiece Ousmane Dembele. He was in electric form before coming into the game and we Culers know what an exceptional pre-season he has had. Ousmane passes the ball to Robert Lewandowski who takes a heavy touch but manage it to put it over the Rayo's goalkeeper to score the first goal of the season. But unfortunately, it was declared offside. Utterly disappointed but still we could see the finesse in his try and we Culers hoped he would go again.

Dembele had clear chance of either running towards the flank with Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski pairing up in the box (indicated by straight green arrow). We can also clearly see that Raphinha was making a run (indicated by curved green arrow). Lewandowski was clearly in the offside position which made him vulnerable and FC Barcelona missed the first chance of the season. We can also see that there was a hunger to core the first goal. 5 players were attacking before Dembele choose the wrong decision.

Soon after this, we saw a brilliant counter-attack from Rayo Vallecano. 

We can clearly see that Ronald Araujo was caught by surprise as Rayo pushed an aerial ball towards their Left Wing Back F. Garcia. Not even Eric Garcia was able to detect the danger. Look how far he is from the defensive line with Christensen trying to stop which he couldn't. Fran Garcia brings the ball down with his head, runs past towards Marc Andre Ter Stegen. At this time we Culers thought that we were going to concede due to an unnecessary defensive error. But guess who comes to the rescue. It is the "German Wall" Marc Andre Ter Stegen. He slides towards Fran Garcia and saves with his upper hand muscle that gives us a sigh of relief.

Fran Garcia went for glory and a very selfish attempt towards the goal. He could have easily found his fellow teammate for whom the goal was wide open.

 

I don't know why we try to make Araujo play as a Right Back always. We didn't graduate him to play as a RB. He is a powerful center-back and should be played in that position only. Plus Xavi doesn't count on Sergino Dest and we can't expect Sergi Roberto to play every match in that position.

Again Lewandowski was at the offside position. Ansu Fati makes a brilliant run and Dembele feels that run and passes the ball towards him with the pass had tremendous power. This made Ansu Fati give just a touch and direction but unfortunately it was a straight shot towards the keeper who makes no mistakes and catches the ball comfortably.

Lewandowski makes a brilliant fake try which makes the Rayo Vallecano winger slip and Robert creates himself space. He crosses in the box and Frank Kessie couldn't reach for the header, it glides past Ansu Fati who also tried to go for a header and the ball comes to Aubameyang. Now, Aubameyang takes a powerful shot was saved by the Rayo's Center-Back. The ball after deflection comes to Robert Lewandowski who tries to do an acrobatic goal but goes off-range.

In the 87th Minute, we could see that Ansu Fati had the most beautiful chance to convert. He couldn't score and kudos to Rayo's Goal keeper S. Dimitrievski. Ball then comes to Frank Yannick Kessie who scores a beauty goal but it was again offside.

After this we saw a very strange and unnecessary challenge by Sergio Busquets. He swings his hands towards the Rayo player and receives a second yellow which means he was red-carded. This will make him miss the second match of the season against Real Sociedad.

This sums up the performance from FC Barcelona. We clearly know that it was the first match and the players didn't fulfill the expectations. 

I hope Culers keep patience and FC Barcelona will come back stronger.

 

Till then,

Visca El Barca!