Three talking points from Barcelona 3-0 Real Oviedo

The guests arrived in Catalonia forward of this fixture and not using a win in 13 video games, all-time low of the league desk and eight factors from security.

Pedri’s midweek harm, the not-at-all convincing method of Barca’s victory in Prague, and their disappointing loss to Actual Sociedad final weekend, hinted at this fixture doubtlessly being extra of a banana pores and skin if Hansi Flick’s gamers didn’t have their minds on the job in hand.

That stated, 9 dwelling wins this season, seven of which have been by two or extra targets, meant that if Oviedo have been even going to get a lot as some extent from this sport, they’d need to play their greatest sport of the season, and Barca their worst.

Let’s check out three issues that affected the end result of this one…

A particular end from a particular participant

Objectives win video games in fact, and Barca’s two earlier than Lamine Yamal’s unimaginable strike had, belatedly, taken the sport away from the guests.

Nonetheless, the scissor kick from the Catalans’ younger talisman was effectively value ready for.

What made it additional particular was that Dani Olmo’s cross was floating away from Lamine as he went airborne to smash it again from whence it got here and into the online.

Such technical finishes are reserved for the easiest, and is one other feather within the cap of a participant who is unquestionably destined to be topped because the world’s greatest sooner or later.

However Barca’s urgency after the break – lengthy overdue it should be stated – the primary 45 minutes was an train in angle and utility from Oviedo.

They actually weren’t fazed by the scale of the duty forward of them, and took the sport to the Blaugranes for essentially the most half.

Barca’s gamers seemed jaded and, solely briefly confirmed the dynamism and vitality which can be a prerequisite of enjoying for this membership.

What number of extra occasions are the first-team gamers going to be that complacent after they suppose a sport will likely be a stroll within the park?

Happily, issues have been a lot improved after the break, but it surely shouldn’t take a crew that’s not received in 13 video games to indicate Barcelona the best way.

Casado: A fish out of water?

We’ve debated the deserves of gamers needing an honest quantity of minutes to seek out their rhythm on this weblog earlier than, but it surely ought to nonetheless be incumbent on these gamers to present the whole lot when handed a possibility.

It’s clear that Marc Casado hasn’t been anyplace near his kind in 2024/25, which explains his absences, nevertheless, there was a really clear feeling that Casado simply wasn’t in tune along with his teammates for lengthy intervals of Sunday’s sport.

His passing was usually terrible, his timing off, and, frankly, he seemed like a fish out of water far too usually.

It was as if he wasn’t completely certain which midfield place he ought to play, and in consequence, he would pop up right here, there and in all places – however to little impact.

Given the plethora of midfield expertise obtainable, Casado received’t get too many alternatives between now and the top of the season, and speak of a summer time exit is more likely to improve.