Robert Lewandowski was destined to be the flag of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona. And it was: the 9th started the season on fire, 14 goals in Barça’s first 11 games in the League, including a double at the Santiago Bernabéu. But since his visit to Chamartín, the Polish forward has his sights out of focus. And Flick does not tie his Barcelona to any player. Not even Lewandowski, an old acquaintance of his from his time at Bayern, a player with whom he shares an agent: Pini Zahavi. Without a replacement reference center forward in the squad, neither Ansu Fati nor Ferran fit that profile of attacker, Lewandowski’s lack of aim tired Flick. Facing a Leganés locked in their area, Barça finished the duel with Iñigo Martínez as forward, but with Lewandowski on the bench, replaced by Ferran in the 68th minute.
“It is very hard to understand this defeat. The first problem was the lack of concentration in the first five minutes of the game. We conceded that first goal,” analyzed Marcus Sorg, Barcelona assistant coach, in reference to Sergio González’s goal in the fourth minute. “A screwed game, really. It is impossible to leave happy today. “I think we started off a little sleepy with that goal,” added Pedri. And he added: “We have been alert, we have created chances, but we lacked that spark to arrive well and score goals. There are many games in a row, but it is no excuse. We have to arrive and finish with the same confidence that we do in the Champions League.”
Safe in Europe, erratic in Spain. Since Hansi Flick sat on the Barcelona bench, the Blaugrana regained power in the Champions League. With its victory last Wednesday in Dormtund, Barça added its fifth consecutive victory in the Champions League, something that had not happened since the 2020-2021 season. However, Barcelona’s winning streak in the new Orejona league contrasts with its progress in the League. The Blaugrana were surprised by Leganés at home. A major surprise in Montjuïc. The problem for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona was that it was not the first time. Neither in the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, nor in the season: in their last game at the Magic Mountain, Barça had already lost to Las Palmas. The Blaugrana not only failed in Barcelona, but they have five of the last 18 points in the League.
It was precisely in the last game in Montjuïc, in the defeat against Las Palmas (1-2), when Flick gave signs that Lewandowski did not have privileges. The coach usually gives second chances to his players after a bad game. It happened, however, that, after the fiasco against the Canary Islands team in Barcelona, the German coach sent Lewandowski to the bench in the next match against Mallorca. Since Barça’s bad streak began after the defeat against Real Sociedad on November 10, it was in Son Moix, without Lewandowski, the only time in which the Blaugrana added three points.
Against Leganés, Barcelona had a total of 20 shots. Three were clear scoring chances, two were missed by Lewandowski. “We have had opportunities. We have to have more clarity in front of goal if we want to win the games. We have to improve in the League, we have had a bad streak,” said Pedri. Marcus Sorg, who coached Barcelona after Flick’s suspension, completed: “We had 20 chances despite not having a good game but we didn’t score. That’s how difficult it is to win. We have to learn from this. We have played many very demanding games in a few days and the team is not used to this. We have to work on it.” Without aim, Barcelona is lost in the League and next Saturday they host Atlético in Montjuïc. He will need to regain his aim, especially Lewandowski.
