FC Barcelona kicked off their era under Hansi Flick with a disappointing 3-0 defeat to AS Monaco in the Joan Gamper Trophy final. The Barça team, full of young promises and unusual players, showed an irregular performance and received boos from the fans at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.
Thefirst half of the match was quite balanced, with both teams looking to take control of the game. However, in the second half, Monaco took advantage of Barcelona’s defensive errors to score three goals and take the victory. Goals from Camara, Embolo, and Mawissa left Barça with no chance of reacting.
Barcelona, who had won eleven consecutive games in the Joan Gamper Trophy, could not maintain their unbeaten streak. This defeat is a hard blow for the team and raises doubts about their preparation for the new season.
How was AS Monaco’s mockery of Barcelona?
On Social media X, formerly called Twitter, AS Monaco on its official account in Spanish after the resounding victory against Barcelona posted a photo of the team with the following message: “To triumph in a fair fight, defending your color” with a white heart emoticon, making a clear allusion to the great rival of the Catalan team Real Madrid, and mocking Barcelona’s defeat.
A disappointing debut for Hansi Flick
Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s new coach,had a bittersweet debut on the Barça bench. Despite having a young and talented team, the team did not show the expected level and was overtaken by a more effective Monaco.
The Barça fans showed their dissatisfaction with the team’s performance. The whistles at the end of the match are a clear sign that fans expect much more from Barcelona.
Barcelona’s defensive shortcomings and lack of efficiency
Barcelona’s main weaknesses in this match were defensive deficiencies and a lack of efficiency in attack. Individual errors in defense allowed Monaco to take advantage of their chances and score all three goals.
In attack, Barcelona failed to generate enough clear scoring chances. Despite having quality players like Lewandowski and Raphinha, the team did not find the formula to overcome Monaco’s defense.