The wait is growing for the first round of round of 32 of the Europa League who will see the Naples against the Barcelona. For the blaugrana, the last few months have been among the most difficult in the recent history of the club: in August, after twenty-one years, Leo Messi she left Spain to move to Paris and only a few months later she arrived there sensational and unexpected elimination from the Champions League groups.
The Catalans thus found themselves in the urn of Nyon valid for the round of 32 of the Europa League, which Barcelona against Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli. The draw was a Barcelona reduced to rubble, in deep crisis, with the desperate attempt to climb back to Spain by Xavithis time to the technical guide, and to the reinforcements arrived in the repair transfer market.
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The Catalans were among the most active clubs in Europe during the market winter, bringing home the now blossoming talents of Adama Traorè e Ferran Torresthe veteran Dani Alves and by signing the Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangwith the hope of regaining a more serene environmental climate and a position in the standings closer to those to which the fans have always been accustomed.
The moment of Barcelona: how it comes to the match against Napoli
Despite having grabbed the fourth place in the championship, one point over Cholo Simoene’s Atletico Madrid, the journey of Barcelona proceeds with fatigue and nervousnessdemonstrating the difficulty arrive in the last few games above all in the defensive department.
“We have conceded a lot and made too many mistakes“. Thus began Xavi’s conference after the match against Espanyol, after the bitter 2-2 draw arrived only in the final. Once again the Catalan team conceded goals due to individual errorsshowing a rather worrying fact: ten goals in the last five games (three in Liga, one in the Cup and one in the Super Cup). A problem that Xavi has not yet managed to solve, in fact, in his 16 matches on the bench, only four times have the team managed to keep clean sheetswith a partial of 27 goals conceded in 23 league games.
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The problems in defense also increase from the infirmary, where after the injuries of Umtiti, Sergi Roberto and Lenglet, also that of Araujoleaving a hint of regret even for the repair market, with reinforcements arriving only and above all in the offensive department.
Nervousness and lack of concentration: the data on the cards
To underline the unsettled moment there is another fact to underline: they were 18 years that Barcelona did not suffer so many expulsions this season. The latest arrived on Sunday for Gerard Piqueafter a hard-nosed clash with the defender ofSpanish Nico Melamed. This year in Liga Barca is the third team in terms of number of red cards, arrived for Pique, Dani Alves, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Eric Garcia. The latter also received red in a Champions League match. At the moment, and due to these red cards, neither Dani Alves nor Piqué will be able to play in next weekend’s match against Valencia.
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Adama Traoè: a danger for the blue defense
Adama Traorè, returned to the Camp Nou this winter transfer window, is certainly among the sweetest notes of recent months in the Barcelona environment. In the last two games he has played 151 minutes, dragging the attack by Xavi: his speedhis dribbling and his assist they were decisive in the game and in the result. The former Wolverhampton revolutionized the game of the Catalan team with her thrust and his class on the bandproviding his teammates with 10 of the 25 crosses arrived in the area.
An additional danger for the blue defense, which obliges Luciano Spalletti to study solutions to stop the impressive speed of the Spanish striker.
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