It is not a pleasant atmosphere at Camp Nou and to add to that melancholy, Ronald Koeman has registered some unwanted records at Barcelona. From challenging for every title to struggling for survival, the Catalans have fallen from grace in just one year.
It was understood that Lionel Messi’s departure would take time to adjust to but their downfall has been so severe that the problems are now looking beyond Messi. From ranking ninth in La Liga to being bottom placed in the Champions League, Barcelona are almost out of the race in two major competitions.
All The Unwanted Records at Barcelona Created This Season
Not Invincible To Atletico Madrid Anymore
Ronald Koeman had successfully won a trophy in his first year and guided his side to a third-place finish in the league. However, he is looking clueless this season. Although the club president, Joan Laporta has voiced that Koeman is to continue as the coach despite growing rumours, it is not to prevail if the form remains the same.
In the ongoing poor run, some undesirable records have been created which ought to be forgotten. We will be looking at the unwanted records at Barcelona that has occurred within the first two months of this season.
This may sound shocking, but Atletico Madrid had never won against Barcelona under Diego Simeone in La Liga until last season. And with the win on Saturday, they also recorded their first win against Barcelona at Wanda Metropolitano and both of these have occurred under Ronald Koeman’s management.
With the 2-0 win, the Colchoneros have now kept three clean sheets in a row against Barcelona for the first time. And if these weren’t enough, it was Luis Suarez who came to haunt them. He assisted and scored one each against his former club.
Disappointing Run In the Champions League
Barcelona had started their pre-season on a promising note. But things didn’t turn out the same once the league started. They were handed a tricky Champions League group which saw a reunion with Bayern Munich. Their first European fixture were against the German giants, and given the form they were in, a similar result was produced.
Barcelona lost 3-0 and failed to register a single shot on target. In the second fixture, they surprisingly lost to Benfica with the same scoreline and failing to register a shot on target yet again.
With that loss, it is the first time the Blaugranas lost two consecutive Champions League fixtures in the group stages. Along with that, they are now winless in five consecutive matches in the competition which last occurred in 1997.
Unwanted Records at Barcelona Keep Piling Up With Humbling Defeat to Benfica in the Champions League
The only hurdle Barcelona were expected to face in the group stage were Bayern Munich. However, they were the Goliath as Benfica thrashed them in the second fixture of the Champions League. It was yet another disappointing display from the Spanish giants as they succumbed to their flaws.
This was also the first time Barcelona had lost to Benfica in 60 years. The last time they met, Benfica had lifted the European Cup by defeating Barcelona 3-2 in the finals.
The Catalans are currently at the bottom of the table, without scoring a goal and without a point. Without improvement, they are on the path to exit the Champions League in the group stages or play in the Europa League for the first time since it got rebranded from the UEFA Cup.
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