HansiFlick's Barça continues to show a clear weakness that has been repeated on several occasions: the inability to maintain possession and defense when the rival becomes more aggressive in the final minutes. On October 26, at the CampNou, Real Madrid took advantage of a counter-goal by KylianMbappé in the 90th minute to win 2-1, which leaves the Madrid club with the opportunity to regain the lead in the League table. This episode is not isolated; The same pattern has been repeated in Champions League, Copa del Rey and La Liga matches in the last two years.
During the 2024-25 season, Barça showed its philosophy of “always playing forward”, but that same attitude cost it several crucial games. In the League, on December 21, Atlético de Madrid won 2-1 with a goal from AlexanderSorloth in the 96th minute. In the Copa del Rey, on February 25, the same rival took advantage with two goals in the final stretch, equaling 4-4 after a goal from RobertLewandowski in the 75th minute. In the Champions League, the semi-final of the second leg against Inter Milan ended 3-2 in favor of the Italian, with a goal from Raphinha in the 88th minute that forced Barça to look for a comeback.
The 2025-26 season was also marked by defensive errors at critical moments. On October 1, Barça lost 2‑1 against PSG in Montjuïc, with a goal from GonçaloRamos in the 90th minute after a cross from AchrafHakimi that took advantage of the Catalan team's forward line. In the Champions League quarterfinals, in the 44th minute of the first leg at the CampNou, PauCubarsí was sent off for a foul on GiulianoSimeone, and the 0‑1 was scored by JuliánÁlvarez after a free kick. The match ended 1‑2 and Barça was eliminated in the second leg in Madrid.
The players have also recognized the need to improve. RodriHernández, who recently joined, commented after the 5‑2 victory over Betis in Seville that “the team always demonstrates its offensive potential, but we are conceding a lot and that is where improvement can come.” This comment reflects the squad's frustration at not being able to convert technical exuberance into results when the game becomes more tense.
In the League table, Real Madrid has remained three points below Barça after the 1-1 draw in the Clásico, which gives them a six-point advantage when the score is equal. With the Champions League at stake, Barça needs to correct its tendency to lose in the final minutes and win the “ugly” games that, according to the squad itself, are essential to achieve European glory. The next phase of the competition and the next League matches will be decisive in determining whether Flick's team can overcome this pattern and establish itself as a serious contender.