A lot of negativity has surrounded Barcelona over the last couple of days. Much of that has stemmed from the defeat to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. However, beyond just calling for the removal of the Barcelona head coach, a lot of criticism has been thrown towards the club in general.
However, beyond just the reactionary taunts and insults, there is more to Barça than meets the eye. While the Catalan giants seem to be a shadow of themselves when compared to last season, there is perhaps a rational reason behind the apparent fall from grace.
As per SPORT, that rational reason may currently be playing for PSG over in France. The name of Ousmane Dembele, perhaps more infamous than famous, is one that many fans of FC Barcelona recognize. For many, he was the image of an extremely frustrating player, while for others he represented a more chaotic and free Barcelona.
For Xavi Hernandez, he was undoubtedly his main star in attack. The Barcelona coach managed to ignite and utilize the Frenchman in ways no manager before him had done. However, his surprise departure to PSG ruined what was developing into a very positive relation with the coach.
Since his departure, Barça initially seemed to be unfazed. The eruption of Lamine Yamal and the more determined Raphinha both managed to bandage the wound that came as a result of Dembele’s departure. On the other hand, the winger was seen struggling in PSG and became the victim of a lot of criticism.
However, since then, the tables could not have turned any more violently. Dembele is now thriving under Luis Enrique over in Ligue 1, and is even the top assist provider in the league. The imbalance he provides in his play continues to benefit PSG, and Enrique continues to praise him.
On the other hand, Barcelona are barely able to threaten their opponents anymore. While Raphinha’s numbers, in terms of goal contributions, may be superior to Dembele’s, his play does not produce the same excitement or element of danger as the Frenchman’s.
Without his star player from last season, Xavi has undoubtedly struggled in this campaign. While the coach has some promising alternative options, they are still not his ideal players. In the absence of Dembele, it seems that Barcelona have only now truly realized his lost value.
