Barcelona’s main issue in the 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid was a lack of creativity, but their problems were compounded by a serious injury to defender Gerard Piqué.
The centre-back, who left the pitch at the Wanda Metropolitano in tears, is expected to be out for up to five months.
“Evidence shows that Pique has a grade three sprain of the medial lateral ligament and a partial injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Evolution will determine future availability,” the club said in a statement.
In his 12 years at Camp Nou, this is the longest Barcelona will have had to do without him. That may explain why his forthcoming absence is being seen as such a devastating blow, rather than a chance for Ronald Koeman to begin overhauling this stagnant side.
Piqué is officially tied down until 2024, though his contract reportedly contains a clause stating that he can leave whenever he likes.
The Spanish international has been in decline for some time, but he is not the only one.
How Koeman will cope
Barcelona’s crisis has reached such a nadir that with three wins from eight games, Koeman has now overseen the Blaugrana’s worst start of the modern era and they are on course to miss out on next season’s Champions League.
It was always accepted that the problems ran much deeper than either Ernesto Valverde or Quique Setién, but even a cult figure like Koeman has been unable to heal the deep divisions in the dressing room. Then again, Barcelona’s problems are tactical, as well as psychological.
The former Netherlands boss scrapped the 4-3-3 to which his players were accustomed and moved to a 4-2-3-1. Koeman is not first to have dared to question that seminal Barca formation. Setién did the same, to no avail.
Yet the current injury crisis, which has also seen Ansu Fati sidelined until March, could force the manager’s hand. Koeman has sought to overload the wings – a task made harder in Fati’s absence – while adding a two-man layer of protection for the defence.
Nobody can legislate for errors like the one committed by Marc-André ter Stegen this weekend, but the removal of Piqué from the equation begs the question of whether Barcelona might be better protected in a 4-3-3 or even a 4-4-2.
Frenkie de Jong has already found himself playing deeper on occasions, while the likes of Miralem Pjanić, Pedri and Philippe Coutinho could all benefit from more flexibility. Lionel Messi’s creative efforts came to nothing against Atletico, often through a lack of support.
Barcelona’s ongoing financial problems, which require them to make significant cuts to the existing wage bill, mean Koeman cannot necessarily rely on reinforcements arriving in January.
Why did Barcelona look to the Dutchman in the first place? The architect of European glory at Wembley almost 30 years ago, few others possess the authority to make the necessary changes. Had Piqué not suffered that stroke of ill fate in Madrid, he might well have staggered on. Óscar Mingueza will be promoted from the ‘B’ team to replace him directly, but his injury is also a chance for a wider rethink.
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/33bz9IF
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