Three takeaways from Sevilla 4-1 Barcelona | La Liga MD8 | OneFootball

Over the past year, Barcelona made it a norm to not only register wins but to do so with a dominant margin.

Scoring three or four goals against opponents, thus, became a normalcy and they made it a point to regularly even put several goals into the back of the net.

Yesterday, however, they were forced to taste their own medicine as they conceded four goals from an inspired Sevilla side, who took complete advantage of their sluggishness and exploited it to the maximum.

Los Nervionenses were the better side in the opening half by some distance and should have been four goals clear by half-time.

Only some Wojciech Szczesny brilliance and a Marcus Rashford goal, however, saw the half end 2-1 in Sevilla’s favour.

Barcelona had their chances after the break but scuffed them all, allowing the hosts to score two more and register a thumping 4-1 win on the night.

One of Flick’s worst

This was arguably one of the worst performances from Barcelona under Flick. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Barcelona have not had too many worse performances under Hansi Flick than they showed yesterday, and it is safe to say that the game the Catalans dished out at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan was one of the worst they have played in recent years.

Indeed, one remembers Barcelona’s slump towards the end of 2024 when they collapsed multiple times in La Liga to fall significantly behind the leaders.

At no point, even in that slump, however, were they so clearly outclassed.

Last season’s slump was a question of being dominant but failing to capitalise. This time around, the issue seems to be vastly different, with the team looking sub-par and outdone for the second game in a row.

Barcelona simply could not string two passes together in the first half against Sevilla and looked completely out of their depth when faced with their resilient press.

The defence was all over the place and the hosts had no trouble breaking the offside trap whatsoever.

It’s absurd how all the players donning the Barcelona crest on the night could have a collective off-day, for even the midfield looked leggy and fatigued for the better part of the night.

Yamal and Raphinha’s absences weighed heavily in attack, and there was no running from destiny for Barcelona.

An afternoon of no rights

Barcelona were offensively wasteful. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Despite a horrendous first half, Rashford’s goal late in extra time gave Barcelona a spark of hope that a comeback was possible should they show up better after the break.

The second period, indeed, was better for Flick’s men, but better than what they showed in the first half means barely anything.

While they did look better in possession, they were still anything but lethal in the final third and did not create half as many chances as they would have liked.

Even the few chances they did create went to waste as their finishing on the night was pathetic and they were forced to pay the price in the end.

At some point, however, one is forced to wonder how much luck can go against a team as well.

Robert Lewandowski, one of world football’s most lethal finishers, failed to convert a penalty when the pressure was at its highest.

At that point in the game, converting the spot-kick would have meant levelling the scores and setting the stage for a comeback.

Roony Bardghji then came on and had two clear-cut chances that would have been put away on any other day of the week.

However, he somehow managed to miss both the chances and allowed Sevilla a third goal instead, which soon piled up with a fourth and left a devastating scoreline.

Time to reset?

Barcelona conceded four goals against Sevilla. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

The international break could not have come at a better time for Hansi Flick and Co. as they now see an urgent need to go back to the drawing board and analyse what is not working in their plan.

More importantly, however, the dressing room needs a serious reset on a physical, mental and every other level.

In the last international break, the manager asked players to ponder on what they were doing wrong as a group to be unconvincing with their performances.

The same is needed once more, albeit at a completely different level.

At this point, it is clear that the Barcelona players require some time off to rediscover themselves and introspect.

And while some will get that opportunity over the next few weeks, most big names will not receive that privilege as they will be on national team duty.

The period is equally important for Flick who will have to be busier than ever before, identifying and rectifying the clear lacunae in his setup this season.

After all, teams are beginning to decode the high defensive line, and there is an urgent need to tweak it with additional measures.