Barcelona's Defense Crumbles Against Club Brugge: Player Ratings Reveal Shocking Collapse

A concerning defensive display left Barcelona with a 3–3 stalemate against Club Brugge in Champions League action.

Carlos Forbs dominated the match narrative. The former Manchester City youth player set up Nicolò Tresoldi's opening strike for Club Brugge before netting himself to regain the advantage after Ferran Torres briefly leveled for Barcelona.

Forbs completed his double in the second period to put Brugge ahead once more following Lamine Yamal's brilliant equalizing effort shortly after the interval. The dynamic youngster was intent on preventing defeat and later played a crucial role in forcing an own goal that earned Barça a valuable point.

The Catalan club was fortunate to escape Belgium with a draw considering their woeful defensive showing throughout the evening. Questions persist about Barcelona's current form as they find themselves in 11th position at the midpoint of the Champions League group stage.

Barcelona Player Ratings vs. Club Brugge (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Wojciech Szczęsny—5.6: Lacked assurance in goal and almost handed Brugge a late victory.

RB: Jules Koundé—6.8: Another disappointing display which has become typical in 2025–26. Continues getting caught watching the ball, keeping opponents onside during Barcelona's high defensive line attempts.

CB: Ronald Araújo—6.3: Appeared anxious throughout, was sloppy with the ball and frequently found himself out of position. Communication breakdowns affected both him and Barcelona's entire defensive unit.

CB: Eric García—6.8: Among his poorest showings this campaign. Carlos Forbs consistently outplayed him.

LB: Alejandro Balde—6.7: Defensive horror show and ineffective going forward. His lackadaisical marking led to Brugge's third strike.

CM: Marc Casadó—6.6: Repeatedly caught in poor positions and failed to provide stability to Flick's team.

CM: Frenkie de Jong—7.2: Despite positive moments that helped Barcelona maintain possession for periods, he couldn't manage the surrounding turmoil. He clearly missed having Pedri as his midfield partner.

RW: Lamine Yamal—8.7: Possibly his finest display since his injury issues began in September. He was central to every positive attacking move and no opposition defender could contain him.

AM: Fermín López—8.7: Recorded two assists and served as Barcelona's standout performer alongside Yamal.

LW: Marcus Rashford—6.8: Appeared sluggish and failed to trouble Brugge's defense. An off evening for him.

ST: Ferran Torres—7.2: His performance can be summarized as scoring once while missing several other opportunities. This encapsulates his entire season.

Subs not used: Diego Kochen (GK), Eder Aller (GK), Xavi Espart, Marc Bernal, Dro Fernández.

Club Brugge (4-2-3-1):

Starting XI: Nordin Jackers; Kyriani Sabbe, Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys; Aleksandar Stanković, Raphael Onyedika; Carlos Forbs, Hans Vanaken, Christos Tzolis; Nicolò Tresoldi.

Subs used: Mamadou Diakhon, Romeo Vermant, Lynnt Audoor, Hugo Vetlesen.

Barcelona Player of the Match: Lamine Yamal, Fermín López

Player of the Match: Carlos Forbs (Club Brugge)

Club Brugge 3–3 Barcelona—How It Unfolded at Jan Breydel Stadium

The home team shocked Barça within six minutes. Another mishap with their signature high defensive line enabled Forbs to deliver a cross to an entirely unmarked Tresoldi, who fired beyond Wojciech Szczęsny for an early advantage.

Flick's squad answered just two minutes afterward. Yamal released Fermín López down the right flank and the young Spanish midfielder claimed his third assist in two matches by threading a pass for Torres to slot home Barcelona's leveler in a chaotic opening ten minutes.

However, Barça's celebration was brief, and their catastrophic defensive display persisted. During a swift counter-attack, Forbs was released behind the halfway line. The Portuguese forward made no mistake, placing his shot into the bottom corner to restore Brugge's lead within 20 minutes.

Yamal attempted to spark Barcelona's comeback, but between hitting the woodwork and teammates squandering opportunities, the Catalans entered the break behind despite controlling possession.

Barcelona's number 10 had an excellent chance immediately following halftime. The ball dropped perfectly for him in what amounted to an open penalty situation, but Yamal failed to direct his effort properly and it went directly at the stationary goalkeeper, prolonging Barça's frustration.

Eventually, Yamal's persistence paid off with a spectacular Barça equalizer. The teenager weaved past three defenders before Fermín executed a brilliant back-heel pass that Yamal converted into the far corner to level the score just after the hour mark.

However, Brugge and Forbs struck back almost immediately again. Forbs escaped behind Alejandro Balde and remained composed in front of goal, lobbing Szczęsny to net his side's third just three minutes after Barça's equalizer.

- 7 goals conceded in 4 UCL games
- 20 goals conceded in 15 games this season

Barcelona's defense this season ➡️ pic.twitter.com/7BGjMgOJzi

In the 72nd minute, referee Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty after Balde appeared to bring down Forbs in the box. However, following VAR review, it was determined that Forbs initiated the contact and the decision was reversed.

Less than five minutes later, Barcelona equalized with Yamal once again at the center of the action. He created space on the right and delivered a cross that deflected off Christos Tzolis into his own net.

While the Catalans pushed forward seeking a winner, they couldn't find a fourth goal in the final moments. Actually, Szczęsny nearly handed Brugge victory in added time, but a VAR check rescued him after officials ruled Romeo Vermant fouled the keeper while dispossessing him.

Ultimately, Barcelona's defensive frailties proved too significant to overcome, a troubling pattern that has emerged over recent weeks.

Club Brugge vs. Barcelona Halftime Stats

Club Brugge vs. Barcelona Full Time Stats