Barcelona suffered a shock defeat against Real Sociedad in a match in which the Catalan team appeared clearly inferior, making their loss deserved. Despite failing to score, the lack of offensive effectiveness was a major factor that prevented Sociedad from securing a more comfortable victory.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper “El Nacional”, Hansi Flick left the Anoeta stadium angry and expressed his disappointment publicly in the dressing room, where he voiced his dissatisfaction with the performance of some players, pointing out four in particular.
The first player to receive Flick’s criticism was Robert Lewandowski. The Barcelona striker, who had been in excellent form this season, delivered a disappointing performance in the Sociedad match. Despite scoring brilliant goals in previous games, he seemed completely absent and did not contribute effectively to the play. The accumulated fatigue from recent matches may have played a role in his poor performance, as he has not had sufficient rest in recent weeks.
As for Frenkie de Jong, his performance was the worst on the pitch. After returning to the starting lineup, he was substituted in the first half due to physical discomfort. Although he is one of Barcelona’s key players, his performance in this match was disastrous, as he had little to no impact defensively or offensively. This poor display only strengthens the doubts within Barcelona’s management regarding his future with the team, particularly after Joan Laporta and Deco had considered selling him during previous transfer windows.
Raphinha Dias also came under Flick’s criticism. The Brazilian winger noticeably missed the presence of Lamine Yamal in the lineup, as he failed to create any offensive threat throughout the game. His performance was underwhelming, reminiscent of his form last season, far from the brilliance he had shown earlier this year. While Flick still believes in his abilities, he expressed disappointment that Raphinha was unable to contribute to changing the result or even secure a single point.
Finally, Fermin Lopez was also among the players criticized by Flick. Lopez played on the wing to replace the injured Lamine Yamal, but he did not perform well in this role. While the position may not suit him perfectly, Flick emphasized the need for better performances, demanding more effort and commitment from the players.
The loss to Sociedad narrowed the gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid to six points, with Madrid having a game in hand. There was no excuse for dropping these three points, which further complicates the situation for the Catalan team in their battle for the top of the league.