One of Ronald Koeman's priorities was to stop the bleeding of goals conceded in recent games. For a month, Barcelona was unable to leave a clean sheet, accumulating eight consecutive games receiving at least one goal. In fact, the numbers left no room for doubt: had 16 goals against in the last eight games, leaving a bleak average of two per game.
The result of this Wednesday thus breaks a worrying hemorrhage in defense. In fact, yesIt so happens that the last game that Barcelona managed not to concede a goal was precisely against Elche on January 24, in the first game of the second round. Since that day, all the rivals who had faced Barcelona had managed to beat Ter Stegen: Rayo (1-2), Athletic (2-1), Granada (3-5), Betis (2-3), Sevilla (2-0), Alavés (5-1), PSG (1-4) and Cádiz (1-1).
Now it remains to be seen if it is just a specific situation or if Barcelona has found the way to establish its defensive line. In any case, Apart from Gerard Piqué, who the team has welcomed his return with open arms, and Jordi Alba, who is in a spectacular moment, the other two pieces in defense open many more doubts and uncertainty.
At first Sergiño Dest was the man called to occupy the right wing, especially after Sergi Roberto's injury, but his youth, he is only 19 years old, and his muscular problems, have prevented him from maintaining a regularity. Koeman has had to appeal with a defense of the subsidiary, who also played as a center-back in Pimienta's team, to occupy the right wing, fulfilling the role with dignity.
And if the right side is a mysteryLet's not say the left center square. Neither Clement Lenglet nor Samuel Umtiti, the theoretical candidates for that position have shown to offer sufficient guarantees, being a player who last year had a subsidiary file, Ronald Araújo, who has earned the property on his own merits. However, an untimely injury to the Uruguayan central defender has left the central position in an alarming interim situation.