Messages from Barcelona: Death in the region and Robert Lewandowski’s poor performance

Robert Lewandowski’s numbers and performances are a reflection of the death in Barcelona’s territory this season in the Spanish League

Barcelona – Barcelona scored 31 goals in their first 17 league matches. A year ago, at this stage of the tournament, he had five more, 36, with no Robert Lewandowski (Then and Now) Foreground: At that time the Pole had 13 goals (none from penalties) and now he has only eight goals (two from 11 metres). The poor numbers and performance of the veteran scorer may not explain the poor play presented by the Barca team, but they are a reflection of the classification.

A season ago, in 17 matches, Barcelona had 44 points, today they have only 34 points. They left two points behind in Valencia, as was the case before falling to Getafe, Mallorca or Vallecas. In none of those matches (he did not play in Granada due to injury) did Robert Lewandowski score goals and goals were scored Fermin And Sergi Roberto Those who saved the furniture of Son Moix and Los Cármenes also showed another serious flaw in this team: their strikers do not score. Not the differences…just the goals that should have been scored.

“We must be the European team with the worst success rate on goal,” he lamented the weakness shown in the regions. Because it is not in one… but in two.

In terms of football, Barcelona was more into Valencia. The coach likes to refer to the word “classy on the ball” on Saturday Frenkie de Jong He was elegant, elegant, a leader and an overachiever. So much so that he had to return to Barcelona in massive anger, frustrated at not using his excellent game to win.

Beyond the horrific mistake at the start that nearly cost a ridiculous goal (another) a fantastic save Iñaki PeñaBarcelona beat Valencia by play and although it was difficult for them to break the home wall (four more shots by Robert Lewandowski are forgotten, except for the one that saved them). Giorgi MamardashviliWhen he did so, he gave a sense of victory within his power… But, of course, our daily sword was missing in the other area.

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Barcelona won 5-0 in Montjuïc over Betis and Royal Antwerp in September and their excitement exploded. Joao Felix He looked like the reincarnation of Rivaldo Joao Cancelo Nobody remembers Dani Alves anymore, and Robert Lewandowski was on his way to improving his numbers compared to last season. But since then, Xavi’s team has not been able to win a match by more than one goal.

There are actually 17 official matches…they won only 9 of them and five of them ended 1-0. like never before. That 1-0 result that they benefited from so much last season and that is almost no longer enough because their goal is no longer a fortress and has become a festival.

In their first 17 league matches of 2022-23, leaders Barcelona have conceded just 6 goals (three of them in El Clásico) and have kept 13 clean sheets. In the current league, Barcelona have conceded no less than 19 goals, and they have kept score in only seven of those matches.

If Xavi’s team is punished for not scoring goals, they will be found guilty for conceding those goals. Far from the weak team football it displays, which should be the main reason for its existence, it bleeds tragically into both regions to observe, between doubt and impotence, how the defense of the title won last season, in December, has become an illusion. .