Three talking points ahead of Real Betis vs Barcelona | La Liga

Barcelona return to action in La Liga on Sunday. They take the trip down to Seville where they face Real Betis at Benito Villamarin in their first reverse fixture of the campaign.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side have enjoyed a decent start to the season, recording seven wins and ten draws in their 20 matches to date. They sit on 31 points and are seventh on the points table, just one point away from a spot in the European qualification.

As the hosts, they will hope to put the pressure on Barcelona at a time when things do not appear to be going the Blaugranas’ way. For Xavi’s men, in turn, the match is pivotal as it lays the foundation before they take on in-form Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Betis vs Barcelona.

Will lightning strike twice?

When Barcelona faced Real Betis at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys earlier this season, they were at the peak of their powers. A fully fit squad, functional dynamic, and free-flowing football helped them put up a show to remember.

Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo had both just entered Xavi’s dynamics at the time, and they announced their arrivals in grand fashion. While the Portuguese winger found the back of the net with a tricky finish in just the 25th minute, Cancelo scored an equally stunning golazo to round off the 5-0 win.

The other goalscorers on the day were Ferran Torres, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski. Six months later, the situation has changed.

The Blaugranas are no longer the dominant force they promised to be at the beginning of the season, Xavi’s tactics have gone awry, with the team once again struggling to cope with the schedule mentally.

Their football, in itself, has become painful to watch with a clear lack of harmony and intent on the field. Goals from individual brilliance may be leading them to wins, but it is clear that they are far from the level they were when they last faced Real Betis.

Barcelona’s last clash against Unionistas in the Copa del Rey is a clear example of where the team currently stands. Up against a third-tier team, the Azulgranas conceded first and chased a deficit before mounting a second-half comeback.

It thus remains to be seen how the clash shapes up when both Spanish giants lock horns tomorrow. The game will be feisty, and Barcelona are not favourites despite their recent thumping of Los Verdiblancos.

The defensive equation

The defence needs to tighten up. (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

Barcelona have suffered to no end in defence this season. The back-line that was Europe’s best not too long ago has been unraveled and is leaking goals for fun this campaign.

All of Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo, and Alejandro Balde are to blame for the situation, given that all four stars have been sub-par in form. The defeat to Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia marked perhaps the lowest point the B.A.C.K combination will see.

The game midweek in Salamanca was far better from Xavi’s men. Araujo sat the game out through suspension, but Kounde redeemed himself with a solid performance, a goal, and an assist. Balde too enjoyed similar luck as he found the back of the net for Barcelona’s third.

There is thus a tangible focus on Barcelona’s defence ahead of the Real Betis clash. Will Araujo, Kounde, Balde, and Christensen be able to maintain their quality against Los Verdiblancos on the night?

Not much to work with

At one point in the season, La Liga had four teams equally competing for the title. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Girona were close to neck-to-neck, leaving all four teams treading a tightrope.

The high-pressure situation that ensued saw some prosper while other contenders fell apart. Real Madrid and Girona carried forward their strong form in the months that followed, pulling away from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Now, the league standings do not paint a pretty picture for Xavi’s men. The leaders Girona currently sit on 49 points in 20 appearances after dropping points against Almeria. Real Madrid sit a point below them with a game in hand but will have to go up against the same team that stole points from Girona last weekend.

Athletic Club now sit in third place with 41 points, level with Barcelona, but the Catalans have a game in hand. Atletico Madrid sit three points behind Barcelona, also having played just 19 games.

With half the season to go, Xavi’s men stare at a deficit of seven points from Real Madrid and have only one Clasico to directly steal points from them. Their margin for error, at this point, is close to zero as they must hope for Los Blancos to make mistakes and offer them a way back.

Losing at this stage to any opposition will bring their chance of lifting the title even lower.