Barcelona's Road to Redemption: Four Critical Steps After El Clasico Humiliation
Barcelona suffered a comprehensive defeat to Real Madrid, ending their flawless run against their arch-rivals under Hansi Flick's leadership.
Xabi Alonso's team appeared more dynamic, aggressive and superior to the current La Liga title holders. Real Madrid controlled Barcelona for significant periods of the encounter, and the 2–1 scoreline perhaps flatters Flick's squad considering the events at the Santiago Bernabéu.
This defeat marked Barcelona's third loss in five October fixtures, matching the exact number of setbacks the Catalans had endured throughout the initial eight months of 2025.
Lackluster displays have become characteristic of Barcelona during Flick's second campaign. The squad appears significantly below the standard compared to their successful 2024–25 season that raised expectations for this term.
Thankfully for Barcelona, considerable time remains in this season, though they now trail Los Blancos by five points in La Liga after the El Clásico setback. Currently, uncertainty outweighs confidence regarding the Blaugranas, and substantial changes are required to recover from this poor sequence of results.
Rediscover Identity
In some respects, suffering their first defeat to Real Madrid during the Flick era might be precisely what Barcelona required.
Barcelona began the campaign appearing like a team still basking in last season's achievements, conducting themselves as a side that simply needed to appear to secure victories. Their individual talent and moments of brilliance enabled them to remain unbeaten through eight matches to start the season, but their fortune has expired.
Throughout Flick's inaugural season, Barça performed like an unselfish collective that seemed exclusively driven to restore the club to the pinnacle of both Spanish and European football. Demolishing Real Madrid twice didn't change Barça's mindset or diminish their appetite, and they proceeded to defeat their arch-rivals twice more in the season's final month.
However, 2024–25's triumph appears to have affected this young squad that has played the entire current campaign without the sharpness, aggression and determination that characterized last season's team. Barcelona are performing like a fragmented side, depending on individuals rather than collective strength.
Commitment and aggression are essential requirements for Barça's success within Flick's framework. Barcelona must unite and rediscover their character. Real Madrid decisively ending Barça's four-match El Clásico winning run means humility should return to the Catalans' agenda, which is exactly what a team appearing to coast on past achievements requires.
Find Defensive Stability
Across 13 matches in all competitions this season, Barcelona have managed just three clean sheets, with two coming against teams currently occupying La Liga's relegation positions.
Eric García and Pau Cubarsí have been Flick's favored center-back combination thus far. While this duo provides Barcelona with superior ball-playing ability, it's a limited partnership lacking physicality, pace and strength, as Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé demonstrated.
Ronald Araújo has committed his share of errors recently and has faced harsh criticism from Barça fans. However, the Uruguayan's determination, physical attributes and clear leadership qualities are precisely what Barcelona are lacking following Iñigo Martínez's exit.
If Flick remains committed to his signature high defensive line—there's no sign of change approaching—then Araújo, Barcelona's finest open-field center-back, must enter the starting eleven.
This would also enable García to potentially challenge for a starting position at right-back, where he excelled during last season's conclusion. Jules Koundé has appeared well below his previous season's standard lately, yet no one is challenging his starting spot.
Barcelona cannot be viewed as genuine title contenders given their current defensive state. Flick must discover solutions to repair his porous backline, or acquiring defensive reinforcement in January should merit serious consideration.
Unlocking the Attack
Few would have identified Marcus Rashford and Fermín López as Barcelona's two most threatening attackers entering the season, yet that was clearly the situation against Real Madrid.
Barcelona's offense has appeared uninspired and sluggish over recent weeks—excluding a 6–1 demolition of a weakened Olympiacos. Injuries have undoubtedly played a major role, but it must be acknowledged that Barça's attacking decline is also largely attributed to key players underperforming.
Dani Olmo has been disappointing this campaign, providing minimal creativity in the attacking third, before a hamstring problem sidelined him for Barcelona's previous three matches. While Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have netted four La Liga goals this season, their overall contributions have been subpar, offering little with and without possession while also battling fitness issues.
Lamine Yamal's only non-penalty strike came two matches into the campaign. It's clear the teenage sensation hasn't fully recovered from a persistent groin problem and appears noticeably slower and more hesitant than his 2024–25 form.
Overall, Barcelona's attack appears disconnected. The forward line lacks mobility, swift combinations, brilliant creativity and clinical finishing. Raphinha's absence has proven catastrophic, but Barça should possess sufficient alternatives to compensate for his loss.
Olmo and Lewandowski will return shortly. Flick must now discover methods to revitalize a struggling attack that was ineffective at the Bernabéu. Between injuries and inconsistent performances, Flick has yet to field the same front four in consecutive matches this season.
Careful Injury Management
Fewer than three months into the campaign, 15 Barcelona players have already missed matches through injury. There hasn't been a complete week without a new player injury since August.
Barcelona's roster has been extremely depleted for two months, with numerous players required to feature in three matches within eight days regularly. No better illustration exists than Pedri, who had started all 13 matches and made 53 straight appearances for club and country since late January.
Perhaps the most vital player in Flick's system is heading to the sidelines, possibly until December, with a hamstring problem.
He joins Gavi, Raphinha, Joan García, Marc-André ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, Lewandowski and Olmo in the medical bay. An extensive list that's remained around that same size for considerable time. It appears that whenever a player receives clearance to return, another sustains an injury.
The injuries have contributed to overall exhaustion early in the season, which has led to Barça's lack of intensity during matches.
Flick and his staff must evaluate what measures can be implemented to prevent additional injuries. It's also crucial that they don't accelerate player recoveries. Barcelona pushed for Raphinha's availability for El Clásico and worsened his existing hamstring injury.
The identical situation occurred with Yamal's groin injury in late September. The Spaniard has returned, but he seems to be operating below full capacity and Barcelona are risking further complications.
Nothing can be done to eliminate the current injury list, but Barcelona must take every possible step to safeguard players through proper management.
If Barcelona must endure an injury crisis, it's preferable it occurs now rather than during the campaign's crucial phase. However, if there's no adjustment in approach to player fitness and the concerning pattern persists, there won't be much to fight for come next spring.