Sunday’s clash at the Reale Arena was a disheartening spectacle for Barcelona fans. The team’s lackluster performance evoked memories of past seasons when Barcelona struggled in San Sebastián, often delivering their poorest displays of the year. Despite having recently managed to overcome this curse, their latest outing was nothing short of disastrous.
Barcelona’s first-half performance lacked spark, and while they might have hoped to capitalize on a lead and play their usual counter-attacking game, a controversial VAR decision derailed their momentum. A tight offside call against Robert Lewandowski, which seemed more like a marginal “toe” offside, was a turning point. Even after review, it was difficult to definitively say if Lewandowski was indeed offside, leaving the decision in question. This call, coupled with other unfavorable decisions, deflated the team and left them struggling to regain control.
Defensively, Barcelona was frail. Jules Koundé, in particular, had a difficult night. The absence of Lamine Yamal in front of him was clearly felt, and Koundé’s performance was subpar—he was easily pushed off the ball during Real Sociedad’s goal, his passing was wayward, and his runs lacked urgency. His struggles were mirrored by most of his teammates, with the team failing to deliver precise crosses or link up play effectively. Crosses were often aimless, and very few found their intended targets.
The game seemed to resemble a return to the old “Xavi-ball” style of play, which had its fair share of frustrations. For once, coach Hansi Flick appeared powerless to make the necessary adjustments. Dani Olmo’s second-half introduction raised some hope, but after recovering from illness earlier in the week, the Spaniard didn’t quite look up to full speed, and his impact was minimal.
As the game wore on, it became increasingly clear that Barcelona was out of sorts. Flick now faces a tough challenge in getting the team back on track. This defeat has cast a shadow over the team’s future performances, and questions about Barcelona’s current squad and tactics are likely to intensify in the coming weeks.
