More hungry than before for a calçotada: the hot notes from Barça-Rayo

BarcelonaIn the Champions League round of 16, in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and top of La Liga. The 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano with a penalty goal from Robert Lewandowski puts Barça at the top of the table. Here are some quick notes.

Calçotada time. Right now, Barça is hungrier than the winner of the Valls calçots competition before the clock starts ticking. They have turned the exceptional nature of fluid play into a simple routine and have lost their fear of any monster. This last aspect is Flick's great merit: that the squad has overcome the traumas of the tribe in a matter of months. Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha already smell a spring that allows them to dream. There may be some flaws in the execution on some nights, like this Monday, but the good sensations have been here for a long time and the attitude is impeccable.

Casadó disappears from the map. Szczesny, who against a Rayo team that was struggling, showed both reflexes and slowness in getting up to defend second chances, took over the Barça goal by decree of Flick. And Frenkie de Jong is on his way to dislodging Marc Casadó, who received so much praise during the first half of the season, in the pivot position. The Dutchman gives more in attack and the Catalan gives more in defence. Flick, in this electric Barça in front of the opposing goal, is leaning towards the first characteristic. As the decisive part of the season approaches, the coach increases the forcefulness of his bets. Without half measures.

Disciplinary punishment. A new example of this forcefulness was the substitution of Kounde due to a delay in a technical talk, the same reason that started Iñaki Peña's ostracism. The decision was Barça's greatest weakness against Rayo's counterattacks. At a time when the Blaugrana team's average is remarkable, Héctor Fort gets a passing grade. His difficulties in overcoming the pressure of the rival were evident, and he makes them suffer every time he has to run back to fight for a long ball that looks for his back.

Theory goes out of date quickly. This Tuesday it will be a month since a good part of the Barça media environment laid down their weapons. Flick's team drew at Getafe on January 18 in a gloomy match and the following day Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of the league to seven points. The numbers were stronger than the sensations, and quietly it was said that perhaps it was better to focus on the Champions League and the Cup. But Barça only needed four blessed weeks to play off the two and a half games that Madrid had room to make mistakes. Football is unpredictable from birth, and it is increasingly difficult to theorize in the long term in the face of dizzying calendars.