Despite a strong start to the season, Barcelona has managed just one win in their last six La Liga matches.
In Sunday’s match, they dominated possession with 81%, completed nearly four times more passes than their opponents, and achieved an 88% passing accuracy—31% higher than their rivals. They took 20 shots but failed to score a single goal. Meanwhile, Leganés capitalized on their lone opportunity and secured a 1-0 victory. This match serves as a snapshot of Barcelona’s recent struggles in La Liga.
Under new coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s season began on a high note. They won 14 of their first 16 matches across all competitions, impressing fans with their aggressive style of play and goal-scoring flair. But the team now seems unrecognizable.
While their Champions League campaign remains strong, with five wins out of six matches, their recent form in La Liga has been disappointing. Midfielder Pedri voiced his frustrations after the match against Leganés:
“After what happened today, it’s impossible to go home happy. We started the game as if we were half-asleep. Even after creating chances, we couldn’t find the net. We need to improve. We can’t keep letting opponents score early in games.”
“We created enough opportunities but must learn to finish them. It’s hard to explain why we’re struggling so much in La Liga, but we have to bounce back.”
Coach Hansi Flick wasn’t on the touchline for this game due to a two-match suspension. Assistant coach Marcus Sorg, who managed the team from the sidelines, admitted he couldn’t find a clear explanation for the loss:
“It’s hard to explain this defeat. The first issue was our lack of focus in the opening five minutes, which led to their goal. Despite not playing our best, we still created about 20 chances but failed to score… if you don’t take your chances, winning becomes difficult.”
However, Sorg did offer one reason for Barcelona’s recent slump: the demanding schedule.
“We need to learn from this experience because the schedule has been extremely tough on the players. We’ve played several high-intensity matches within a short span, and this team isn’t yet accustomed to such demands.”
Despite their dip in form, Barcelona remains at the top of the league table, thanks in part to Real Madrid’s inconsistent performances. Barcelona leads with 38 points from 18 matches, but Atlético Madrid, also with 38 points from one game fewer, and Real Madrid, with 37 points from 17 matches, both have opportunities to overtake them in the next round.
Acknowledging the current reality, assistant coach Sorg remained optimistic about the team’s prospects:
“Of course, we’re not happy with our recent form in La Liga. But building a team takes time, and challenges are part of the process. We’re working hard. We’re still at the top of the table, and even if we lose that spot, we’ll remain in the upper ranks.”
