Barcelona achieved a crushing victory over Valencia, winning 7-1 in the La Liga match between the two teams.
This huge win strengthens the Catalan team’s pursuit of league leaders Real Madrid, as Barcelona continues its march towards competing for the title, with a 7-point gap behind the royal team. However, what caught the attention after the match were the controversial statements made by legend Carles Puyol.
Puyol dropped a bombshell in his remarks, saying: “After what I saw from Barcelona against Valencia, I can confirm that this catastrophic player cost Barcelona the La Liga title that was within reach.” He was referring to Polish striker Robert Lewandowski. Puyol did not hide his anger at coach Hansi Flick’s decision to rely on Lewandowski in previous matches, stating that the former Bayern Munich striker missed several golden opportunities, leading to Barcelona dropping many points.
Puyol added that Barcelona became more dynamic and stronger after Lewandowski was benched in the Valencia game, highlighting the clear difference in the team’s performance, especially in terms of offensive pressure on the opposition’s defense, which had been lacking in previous matches. He pointed out that coach Flick should admit his serious mistake in relying on a player who, in Puyol’s view, harmed Barcelona’s future this season.
As Barcelona continues its pursuit of the title, questions remain about Lewandowski’s future in the starting lineup, especially with Puyol’s insistence that the team performs better without him.