"Barcelona could only salvage a 3-3 draw against Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League last night as their matchday 4 game went completely away from plan and was unexpectedly tight. The Belgian side gave Barcelona a tough fight and developed a plan that saw them exploit the Catalans' defence. They went ahead thrice on the night and deserved the win more than Barcelona. Hansi Flick's side, however, fought and found the equaliser all three times but never went ahead. In fact, they were lucky to take away even a point for a late error by Wojciech Szczesny actually handed Club Brugge the win until VAR intervened and handed Barcelona a boost."
"Barcelona's defence has been leaky all season and is clearly at a level far below where it was last campaign. With Inigo Martinez no longer around and Jules Kounde operating at a far lower level than usual, the manager has struggled to find a defensive setup that can adapt well to what he expects on the field. As a result, every opposition the Catalans have faced this season has managed to break through the defence with ease and create counter-attacking chances by breaking the offside trap."
"Club Brugge entered the game with a clear plan of unleashing their pacey forwards behind the defensive line on the night, and they seemingly succeeded with their every attempt. Barcelona's defence was in complete and utter shambles, and the hosts created more big chances than Hansi Flick's men. Carlos Forbs, on the hosts' right flank, tormented Alejandro Balde and spearheaded Club Burgge's attack for most of the game. Not only was he decisive in front of goal, but he also wreaked havoc with his devastating pace. Nicolo Tresoldi and Hans Vanaken provided the supportive framework in attack and threaded in balls and linked up with quick touches to enable Forbs' breakaway, and Barcelona had no answers to the tactic."
Barcelona produced a 3-3 draw with Club Brugge after trailing on three separate occasions and relying on a VAR intervention to avoid defeat. Club Brugge executed a targeted plan to exploit Barcelona's defensive weaknesses by sending pacey forwards behind the back line and creating numerous big chances. Defensive departures and dips in form left Barcelona struggling to establish a reliable defensive setup. Carlos Forbs repeatedly troubled Alejandro Balde and led Brugge's attacking thrusts, supported by Nicolo Tresoldi and Hans Vanaken. The result masked deeper structural defensive problems that continue to plague the team.
Read at Barca Universal
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