BARCELONA: Barcelona are off to their worst La Liga start since Lionel Messi’s debut season nine years ago.
A 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad was described as a ‘miracle’ by Barca boss Luis Enrique, calling it the worst performance in his three seasons in-charge. Barca are already six points off the leaders, Real Madrid, and have to face them in the El-Clasico on Saturday.
Here is a looks at what may have gone wrong so far this season
Key injuries
Messi rescued Barca from a fifth consecutive defeat on their travel to San Sebastian, but Sunday’s draw was the first time Barca dropped points in the league this season when the Argentine has completed 90 minutes.
Messi’s presence was missed in the defeats to Celta Vigo and Alaves. Had the argentine played, the draws against Malaga and Atletico Madrid might not have happened.
However, he is not the only key player to have been injured for some part of the season so far. Andres Iniesta has been out for over a month, while his Spanish teammates Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba were also sidelined for a number of weeks.
Busquets isolated
Often an underrated pillar of Barca’s success in the past decade, Sergio Busquets rests in the midst of his most extended dip in form since breaking into the first team under Pep Guardiola in 2008.
It is no coincidence that Busquets’s struggles have come without the retired legend Xavi or Iniesta by his side.
His influence in terms of touches and passes completed has declined since Enrique took charge, as he favours a more direct style to feed the front three of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
However, without the ball, Busquets is also being exposed by the lack of support around him as Ivan Rakitic was forced to play wider to protect the inexperienced Sergi Roberto.
Tough start
Barca failed to hit the heights. But that may be explained by the differing challenges they have faced.
The Catalans already made tricky trips to Sevilla, Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Celta Vigo and Valencia, as well palying against Atletico Madrid at home.
Real Madrid’s 31-game unbeaten run will be put to the test at the Camp Nou on Saturday.
Summer signing busts
The Catalans spent over 120 million euros ($127 million) in the summer transfer window in a bid to strengthen their squad. But, none of their six recruits have established themselves in Enrique’s preferred starting XI.
The Portuguese Euro 2016 winner, Andre Gomes has failed to make an impression in Iniesta’s absence, whilst 30 million euro striker Paco Alcacer has yet to score a goal.
Messi dependent
A year ago, when Messi was sidelined for two months by knee ligament damage, Neymar and Suarez not only ensured Barca didn’t lose ground in the title race, but accelerated past Madrid at the top of the table.
Twelve months later though, Barca’s Messi-dependence has reemerged with the Argentine scoring 10 of Barca’s last 14 goals.
Suarez scored just once in his last five outings, while the last time Neymar scored from open play in La Liga was in September.
