Three takeaways from Barcelona 3-0 Real Oviedo | La Liga MD21 | OneFootball

Barcelona’s first-half display against Real Oviedo was up there with their worst this season, as they struggled in every aspect of the game and were outdone by the visitors’ press.

In the second period, however, Oviedo showed exactly why they are the bottom-placed team in the league as they gifted away two goals in five minutes to help Barcelona bury the result.

Lamine Yamal’s bicycle kick then served as the perfect cherry on the cake as it completed the 3-0 rout and comfortably put the Catalans back as leaders in the standings.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points from Barcelona 3-0 Real Oviedo.

Rotations gone too far

Hansi Flick deployed an extensively rotated lineup against Real Oviedo, and understandably so given the hectic schedule and how the opposition on the night were far from in-form.

Joao Cancelo started against Oviedo. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The extent of changes, however, saw the Catalans produce their worst first-half performance since the Chelsea game late in 2025 as they simply struggled for harmony on the field.

It was in defence that Flick made the biggest changes. Joao Cancelo, who was initially expected to start at right-back with Kounde on the bench, started at left-back. 

Instead, the natural left-back Gerard Martin started at centre-back alongside Pau Cubarsi and the natural centre-back Eric Garcia was deployed at right-back.

While all the aforementioned have shown utility when played out of position, combining so many players playing in makeshift roles threatened Barcelona’s buildup flow and saw them struggling to build out of the back.

They were defensively solid, but the ball progression was seriously impaired and Barcelona even struggled to get out of their own half in the opening period.

Marc Casado’s struggles on the ball in defensive midfield only compounded that problem.

It is, thus, no surprise that a lot changed when Kounde came on and sent Eric to partner with Cubarsi in central defence.

Barcelona’s attack opened up immediately, the buildup improved and so did the result.

Dani Olmo makes the difference again

Dani Olmo opened the scoring. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Dani Olmo may have his ups and downs, and may indeed cut out a frustrating figure at times with his ball control and buildup play.

However, one cannot deny that he is a genuine difference maker who is stepping up under pressure.

His purple patch began in Barcelona’s game against Deportivo Alaves late in November when he scored a brace to pioneer Barcelona’s comeback win on the night.

Days later, he dished out a fine performance with a goal against Atletico Madrid and injured himself in the process.

He returned from injury against Espanyol at the beginning of January and scored on his return to open the scoring in the 86th minute and break the deadlock in a game that looked set to end in a draw.

Earlier this week, he again scored a golazo to hand the team the lead over Slavia Prague for the first-time on the night – helping them move closer to the three points.

Last night was no different, as it was again Olmo who scored Barcelona’s opener with a neat, low-driven finish past Aaron Escandell.

His strike opened up the game and created room for more Barcelona attacks, and the visitors then began to open up.

As always, Olmo had his share of frustrations against Real Oviedo as he cut out a sorry figure with many misplaced passes, overhit crosses, and mistakes in tight spaces. For all his negatives, however, he is a quality player who can, and does, turn the game around.

Heading to the UCL with momentum

Focus shifts to Champions League. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

With the Real Oviedo clash out of the way, Barcelona can now focus on the big game that awaits them midweek in the Champions League – the clash against FC Copenhagen that will decide if they finish in the top-8 or not.

The game last night, needless to say, already had Flick thinking about the European game coming up as his rotations were all tailored towards providing key players rest for that occasion.

Kounde and Alejandro Balde both started on the bench to get some time off, and the coach ensured Marcus Rashford got the game off as well.

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal were both taken off early to give them a break too.

In that sense, Flick can breathe a sigh of relief to have not only taken all three points but to have done so with big names rested and the momentum retained.