"They are simply not world class like they were a year ago, and they haven't been since the start of the season. They can continue to blame injuries, but that excuse became stale weeks ago. Having Pedri could have made the difference in this game, for example, but not with the lack of effort and physicality that we saw on display."
"As for Hansi Flick, it continues to be the case that he is a coach with one game plan, regardless of the circumstances. There is no adaption when critical players are out, and there is no contingency plan when his team is playing down a man. When plan A isn't working, Barcelona simply look lost. It's a pattern, so it's not unfair to ask the manager to shoulder the responsibility here."
Barcelona were second-best to Chelsea in every way, showing inferior effort and physicality from the start. Chelsea combined attacking quality with relentless work-rate, winning first and second balls and looking more prepared. Injuries offer an increasingly stale explanation for Barcelona's problems; the absence of Pedri mattered but did not excuse the overall lack of intensity. Hansi Flick relied on a single game plan with no clear contingency when key players were missing or when his team went a man down. Players also showed inconsistent commitment, with visible frustration from substitutes. The current trajectory threatens Champions League progress.
Read at Barca Blaugranes
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