Barcelona’s fantastic begin to the 2024-25 La Liga season lastly fizzled out final evening with a heart-breaking 4-2 defeat to Osasuna at El Sadar Stadium in what comes as a shock end result.
The Catalans, who have been in fantastic kind domestically, have been eyeing a historic begin to the season with a win in Pamplona. Two fast objectives conceded within the first half, nevertheless, set them again and left them with a mountain to climb after the break.
Pau Victor pulled one again for the membership, however Osasuna struck twice once more simply when Barcelona have been trying to decide up steam and closed the sport with a 4-1 lead.
Lamine Yamal scored a late comfort purpose for the guests with a world-class end from outdoors the field. The web end result, nevertheless, was that Barcelona dropped three worthwhile factors and ended their dominant run.
Barça Common brings you three takeaways from the supervisor from Osasuna 4-2 Barcelona.
Respect should be given
Heading into final evening’s conflict on a run of seven straight wins, Barcelona have been the overwhelming favorite to take three factors regardless of taking part in away at El Sadar.
All hell broke unfastened, nevertheless, when Hansi Flick dropped his beginning lineup for the evening and the world received a glimpse of the eleven gamers who would defend the crest in Pamplona.
Credit score the place it’s due, all the kids referred to as up by the supervisor have been certainly mature past their years and worthy to start out. The fault, nevertheless, lay with the sheer extent of rotations that the supervisor deployed on the identical time.
After not rotating the ahead line for a month, Flick opted at hand each Raphinha and Lamine Yamal a time off in the identical sport, thus giving Pau Victor and Ferran Torres the beginning.
If the rotations within the closing third weren’t sufficient, Inigo Martinez and Alejandro Balde have been handed a relaxation as effectively, throwing Sergi Dominguez and Gerard Martin into the deep finish collectively alongside a younger Pau Cubarsi.
Taking part in in opposition to Osasuna away from residence is likely one of the most tough fixtures of the season, and to deploy limitless rotations in that fixture can solely be labelled as poor man administration or disrespecting the opposition.
Respect should at all times be given no matter the opponent, and Hansi Flick’s overconfidence and unmeasured rotations at El Sadar value Barcelona three factors.
An premature penalty
Barcelona’s first half in opposition to Osasuna was paying homage to final season. The crew appeared incoherent in assault with sideways passing predominating and shaky on the again.
Via the primary 45 minutes, the hosts have been clearly the superior aspect and threatened Inaki Pena’s purpose time and time once more, exploiting Barcelona’s excessive defensive position immaculately.
The second half, nevertheless, noticed Barcelona come again with renewed focus. Regardless of not making any speedy rotations, they created common probabilities and got here near scoring on a few events.
Every little thing was going to plan after Pau Victor’s purpose because the Blaugrana have been only one purpose away from finishing a comeback. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha’s introduction on the time meant it was solely a matter of time earlier than the equaliser arrived.
At that vital juncture, nevertheless, Sergi Dominguez erred and handed Osasuna a penalty that made the scoreline 3-1 and put it past the guests’ attain.
Fact be advised, the hosts could effectively have scored from the identical transfer if the younger defender had not tried a problem as effectively and the blame is thus not completely his.
Two objectives down with 20 minutes to go, Barcelona have been pushed in opposition to the wall and all hopes of a comeback have been crushed.
The top of a particular run
It was clear from Flick’s assertion earlier than the sport that he was by no means eyeing the record for the best start to La Liga within the membership’s historical past regardless of being only one win away.
His rotations on the evening solely additional clarified that time, and ultimately, Barcelona’s dominant run in La Liga lastly ended after seven straight wins with a gutting defeat.
The crew undoubtedly won’t trouble a lot in regards to the end result on condition that it was purely owing to the over rotations deployed by the supervisor. The damaged momentum, nevertheless, might come again to hang-out Barcelona.
Having dropped three factors final evening, the Azulgranas have handed Actual Madrid a golden path to shut the hole between them on the league standings. Ought to Carlo Ancelotti’s males win the derby, they are going to be only one level away from Barcelona.
All eyes now flip to the UEFA Champions League the place a win is extra vital than ever earlier than after the Spanish giants misplaced their opening sport. One will hope the defeat doesn’t depart the dressing room flaccid.
