BARCELONA, 18 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona is currently experiencing its worst run of results and play of the entire season, chaining three consecutive games without scoring, with two draws in LaLiga Santander and a painful defeat (0-4) against Real Madrid in the semifinals of the King’s Cup.
A dynamic that, luckily for the culés, arrives with LaLiga practically in their pocket with only nine days to go, and with an advantage of 11 and 13 points over their greatest pursuers, Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, respectively.
The last three ‘punctures’ are accompanied in addition to a game that is more effective than attractive. In recent weeks, away from the ‘tiki-taka’ as a football model, Xavi’s team has based its results on efficiency in front of goal and defensive solidity, with only 9 goals against in the League.
In addition, to the little success of his star Robert Lewandowski in the final stretch of the season we must add the absence of Pedri as a pillar in the creation of the blaugrana game.
And it is that the injury of the Canarian player, on February 16, was a turning point for Xavi Hernández’s men. Without him on the pitch, the eliminations in the Europa League and Copa del Rey against Manchester United and Real Madrid were consummated. In addition, FC Barcelona has left 7 points in the League in 8 days, the same number of points as in the previous 21 days.
The data also respond to a drop in benefits without the international on the field. The win rate without the canary drops from 70 to 64 percent, while the loss rate increases from 13 to 21 percent. But beyond the final result, the absence of Pedri also supposes considerations in the team’s game.
With him on the pitch, Barcelona generated 2 goals in favor, 15.2 shots and a 79 percent success rate in passes in the last third per game, for 1.8 goals, 13.6 shots and 77 percent of success in the last third without him.
As for the defensive data of the team, they also worsen without the canary, a cornerstone in the pressure after the loss of the Catalan team. Xavi’s men concede 2.2 shots and 4 more crosses per game. Pedri is the LaLiga midfielder who recovers the most balls per game in the last rival third, with 1.2.