FC Barcelona intensified its crisis in LaLiga (having only earned 5 of the last 21 points available) with a new defeat, the second in a row and the third consecutive at home, against Atlético de Madrid (1-2). Once again, Hansi Flick's team dominated the game and created many more goal-scoring opportunities than their opponent. However, the lack of precision and defensive lapses proved very costly for the blue and garnet team.
Decisiveness was the main attribute of Barça in the first 12 rounds of the tournament. The Catalans scored 40 goals during that period, more than any other team in Europe, but in recent weeks the team has lost its effectiveness. Excluding the 'five-goal' match against Mallorca (1-5), the Catalans have only scored 6 goals in the remaining six matches and, against Leganés and Atlético, only Pedri was able to hurt the rival defenses.
Barça's Attack, Lacking Firepower in Recent Weeks
The statistics starkly depict the blue and garnet team's lack of finishing. Between both matches, Barça attempted 39 shots. 20 of them were against the 'pepineros', while the remaining 19 came against the 'rojiblancos'. Of those, only 11 were on target (4 against Lega, 7 against Aleti) and only 1 resulted in a goal. Adding the other defeat for the Catalans, the 1-2 against UD Las Palmas, the average logically worsens.
The Canarians took the victory from Montjuïc after withstanding 27 shots from Barça (7 of them on target). Only Raphinha, in the 61st minute, succeeded in the opponent's area. Even so, Barça still boasts the best offense in Europe. At least this will remain until the start of 2025. Flick's team closed the first half of LaLiga with 51 goals. Only Paris Saint-Germain (44 goals in 16 matches) and Bayern Munich (47 goals in 15 rounds) can surpass the records of the blue and garnet team this season.
During Barça's offensive slump, the attacking trio (Lamine, Raphinha, and Lewandowski) has also diminished their production. Both the Polish and the Brazilian have gone two and three matches without scoring or assisting, respectively, while the youth player will be out until mid-January. Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres have also not been able to contribute much, although 'Tiburón' scored against Betis two weeks ago.