Barcelona haven’t been enjoying like league leaders over the previous month in La Liga and have deservedly misplaced all of the lead they’d over Actual Madrid within the standings.
Ought to Los Blancos win their sport in hand, they would be the new leaders within the home competitors and the stress is thus significantly mounting on the Catalans after their three consecutive poor showings.
With the load of their poor video games on their shoulders, Hansi Flick’s males will tackle Mallorca at Estadi Son Moix on Tuesday and it’s protected to say that it is going to be a tough problem.
Jagoba Arrasate’s males have been in phenomenal type this season and are sixth on the league standings with seven wins and three attracts in 15 video games.
Son Moix, in the meantime, has not been a straightforward fortress to overcome for the Blaugrana in recent times. Final season, they had been held to a 2-2 draw on the stadium whereas their two wins earlier than that had been by slim 1-0 scorelines.
Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Mallorca vs Barcelona.
New month, new begin
If October was paradise for Barcelona by way of destroying opposition and securing wholesome leads in competitions, November was the polar reverse.
After a month the place the Catalans beat Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid in a matter of days, they entered a month with simpler fixtures and threw all of it away.
A draw in opposition to Celta Vigo and defeats to Las Palmas and Rea Sociedad capped off a horrible November and quite a lot of questions have rightly been requested in regards to the shift in momentum.
Now into December, it’s vital that Barcelona get better and regroup. It’s a new month and a contemporary begin, and should look to show their state of affairs round.
The schedule for December is gruelling and with none breaks for worldwide soccer. The calendar begins tomorrow away at Mallorca but additionally sees the workforce tackle Actual Betis at residence, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Leganes in a span of 20 days.
Introduced with poor type and a sophisticated fixture record, there may be not a lot time for Barcelona to seek out their rhythm once more and tomorrow night time needs to be their first assertion win. Beginning off on the fitting foot is essential.
Huge starters return
Barcelona began the sport in opposition to Las Palmas with a number of key figures out of the lineup whose absences had been felt on the night time.
Marc Casado missed the sport by means of suspension whereas Lamine Yamal was not match to start out and solely got here on for the second half.
Alejandro Balde, in the meantime, began the sport however was taken off on a stretcher early on after a collision that left him winded. One other notable absentee was Dani Olmo who was on the bench however by no means warmed up owing to a niggle.
Tomorrow, the supervisor could have all 4 gamers again and sure as starters in what’s an enormous benefit for the workforce.
For the primary time after the final worldwide break, Barcelona could have its strongest XI from the opening minute.
Casado will doubtless be a part of Pedri within the double pivot whereas Olmo will begin because the attacking midfielder. He’ll look to hyperlink with Yamal who is anticipated to start out on the fitting and Balde who will push up on the left flank.
With all one of the best gamers again on the sphere, Flicks’s males don’t have any excuses to not carry out on Tuesday.
Emergency on the again
“Clearly, the rivals are doing an excellent job. They put together for the video games they play in opposition to us,” Flick mentioned in his earlier right this moment when requested in regards to the lowered offside challenges by the opposition.
In spite of everything, Barcelona’s opponents seem to have discovered the antidote to the workforce’s toxic high-line which seemed unbeatable a month in the past. Rapidly, beating the lure and discovering runners behind has turn into regular.
Jules Kounde has appeared fatigued in current video games whereas Gerard Martin merely lacks the mettle to maintain up with such a demanding tactic. Because of this, the workforce has been conceding excess of regular and that’s their greatest emergency.
Tomorrow, step one for the workforce will thus be to consolidate the defence with an all-round present.
Enjoying a dangerous gambit, the Catalans should press as a unit and defend collectively to shut down areas and win the half-chances. Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez will proceed doing what they’ve, however the concentration is going to shine shiny on the full-backs.
Inaki Pena is one other participant who’s slowly operating out of favour and should do higher if he’s to carry on to his beginning spot. A number of extra free performances might effectively see him lose his spot to Wojciech Szczesny.