Barcelona’s 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey in Riyadh on Sunday night was a painful slap across the face for fans who believed their side still has the chance to overtake their eternal rivals this season.
Barca coach Xavi Hernandez has continued to insist Barca can make up a seven-point deficit with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, and although there is no mathematical reason they can’t recover seven points in 19 matches, the footballing reality on display on Sunday night says it’s impossible.
To put things brutally, Barcelona were outplayed by a Real Madrid side that was faster, more aggressive and played better football.
Hardcore Barca fans will point to an injury list containing Marc Andre Ter Stegen, Gavi, Inigo Martinez, Raphinha, Marcos Alonso and Joao Cancelo, and say Pedri has only just returned from his second-long injury layoff of the season.
A Madrid fan would straight-bat that back, arguing that Real Madrid is missing Eder Militao, David Alaba, Thibaut Courtois and Lucas Vazquez and Carlo Ancelotti has been able to negotiate his way around a long list of absences.
The main reason is that Real Madrid have a better squad with players such as Brahim Diaz coming in from the fringes to become important players, while others such as Luke Modric, Toni Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde, Dani Ceballos and Aurelien Tchouameni have allowed Ancelotti to manage his options in midfield.
Brahim stepped up when Vinicius was recovering from his hamstring problems, Rodrygo has started to score goals regularly and, despite rumours that he is unhappy at less game time this season, Modric has provided quality and vision when needed.
Gavi’s knee injury has been a serious blow to Barcelona, who misses his pace and aggression in midfield. Frenkie de Jong and Ilkay Gundogan are both fine players but are more of diesel engines and do not snap into rivals as Gavi does.
Likewise, Pedri’s constant muscle problems (possibly because he was overplayed when he was 17 and 18) have robbed Barca of a player able to up the pace of the game.
Martinez arrived on a free transfer from Athletic Club Bilbao in the summer and after recovering from a foot injury, quickly became first choice.
However, he also has a worrying injury history in recent seasons and can’t be relied on, while left-back Alejandro Balde, suddenly seems to be in a confidence crisis and Barca misses the aggression of Jordi Alba.
The main problem on Sunday night was Barca’s tactics: against a Real Madrid side that specialises in the counter-attack, Xavi tried to play a defensive line virtually on the halfway line.
The only way that was going to work was if Barca’s attacking players were able to press the Madrid defence and midfield and rob possession as they looked to play the ball out, but if your center-forward is 35-year-old Robert Lewandowski, who is starting to show signs of slowing down, and he is accompanied by Sergi Roberto, a barely-fit Pedri and the talented, but languid Ferran Torres, that’s almost impossible to do.
Real Madrid found space for the pass behind the defence and the pace of Vinicius and Rodrygo did the rest. When Barca attacked, Madrid got players behind the ball and closed the gaps and with nobody to push things into second and third gear, Barca had the ball but did little with it.
It also helps explain why Barca had a run of 20 matches without winning a game by more than two goals ahead of their semi-final against Osasuna.
Xavi’s Plan A failed and so far there is little sign he has a Plan B and while Barca will still beat lesser sides due to inertia rather than brilliance, unless something drastic happens, it can forget any hopes of winning La Liga this time around.
