Lessons to be learned as Celta unsettle Barca and steal precious points

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The Blaugrana aren’t able to weather the chaos in Galicia

Iago Aspas knew how to generate some black magic when his team needed it most.

Frustrated by a first half that wasn’t going his way, he was lucky to not see red after throwing a tantrum on the sidelines as half-time approached. Instead he gesticulated to the crowd to fire them up, foreshadowing the chaotic conditions on the field, and from the stands, that would overwhelm the visitors.

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Celta Vigo were fired up, and probably the better team to start the game. But Barcelona gradually found their footing, and opened the scoring with a brave, and familiar, ball over the top from Jules Kounde that found Raphinha in stride.

From there, and until the last ten minutes of the match, the result looked to be in Barcelona’s hands.

After Robert Lewandowski’s powerful run to goal made is 2-0 at the 60 minute mark, Hansi Flick turned to the bench with Frenkie de Jong and Fermin Lopez entering for Pedri and Gavi.

Marc Casado showed his inexperience by picking up a second yellow, a sending off that completely destabilized his team, while renewing hope for the home team.

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Kounde went from hero of the match to zero, with a sloppy and reckless first touch in front of goal, but the truth is the floor was dropping out from underneath everyone.

Just minutes later, Frenkie de Jong got lost defensively, as Celta waltzed passed him and equalized.

Credit to Barcelona for getting their bearings back while they were down a man, making a late attempt to go for the win. But it was too little too late.

It was a hostile atmosphere, and Barcelona lost focused when they should have found a way to see the game out with ten minutes to go. This one hurts.

In many ways, the major question coming into the game was whether the team could win without Lamine Yamal. For the most part they answered in the affirmative. It was their best match, but they scored two critical goals in typical Barcelona under Flick fashion. The defense was solid as well.

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But sometimes, in a football match, unexpected moments can happen, like a red card, that cause things to fall apart.

Great teams need to know how to deal with these moments, and show the strength to fight and suffer when the game is on the line.

On Saturday night in Vigo, Barcelona showed looked like the fragile team of old that panics, and loses faith, when they’re punched in the face.

This must be a lesson learned for the players and the manager.

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If there’s a way to simulate these moments, and talk through contingencies, they need to do it, because there will be more games like this to come in the Champions League, and with the race at the top of the table in La Liga tightening.

Barca have the tactics and talent, and they are headed in the right direction.

They need to get back on the rails, and show a determination to not repeat the same mistakes.

It’s normal for championship teams to experience peaks and valleys.

No need to overreact to a few disappointing results. Learn and move on, because the games will be coming thick and fast between now and the new year.

Mental fortitude is the name of the game, and it’s a quality they need to prove they possess.

Source: barcablaugranes.com