Hansi Flick’s sure fire solution suddenly turns into a major headache for Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona have several issues to solve as the season enters a decisive phase, but one area that should have been a guarantee is now raising questions. 

Hansi Flick’s attack remains productive as a collective unit, yet the numbers from his two main centre-forwards, Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski, suggest a worrying drop in efficiency.

Notably, Barcelona have suffered two consecutive defeats for the second time this season, and a closer look at the numbers points towards a lack of cutting edge from the players leading the line. 

In the last four matches, against Girona, Atletico Madrid, Mallorca and Albacete, the team scored six goals in total, but only one of those came from a natural centre-forward. 

Worrying numbers

Across those same four matches, Torres and Lewandowski have managed just four shots on target combined. In fact, against Girona, neither of them tested the goalkeeper. 

Lewandowski failed to hit the target against Atletico, while Torres could not do so in the match against Mallorca. 

The contrast becomes sharper when looking at Torres’ season as a whole. The Spanish forward is still Barcelona’s top scorer with 16 goals.

Ferran Torres has struggled in front of goal recently. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

However, the second half of the season has told a very different story. In the last 14 matches, Torres has scored just three times. 

That drop is significant when compared to his explosive start, where he netted 13 goals in his first 19 appearances. 

A drop in form

One match that perfectly reflected his current form was the clash against Elche. On that day, Torres did manage to score once, but he also missed five clear chances from eight attempts. 

Only three of those shots were on target, while two struck the woodwork. It was a performance that summed up Barcelona’s recent problem – chances are being created, but not converted with the expected ruthlessness.

Despite these struggles, Barcelona’s attack still benefits from strong collective numbers. 

Up to six different players have already reached double figures in goals this season, which shows the team’s overall offensive strength.