Perhaps we shouldn't always rely on Lamine: the immediate observations from Barça-Copenhagen

BarcelonaJob done. Throughout the group stage, Barça conceded many goals and suffered setbacks... but they qualified for the top eight, as was necessary. The defeat against PSG and Araujo's red card in London are now a distant memory. Finishing in the top eight was essential, and they achieved it with a match that perfectly encapsulates the team's Champions League campaign: conceding goals, enduring hardship, but ultimately overcoming adversity with brilliance.

LaminedependenceWithout Pedri, Barça suffers LaminedependenceEverything hinges on Rocafonda's genius in matches like this. Relying on a player like Lamine isn't ideal, but if you have to trust just one person, it's better that it's him. He seems eager. If he wants to be one of the greatest players of all time, he needs to be able to win matches like this. And he does. He energizes the fans, asks for their support, frustrates the opponents, and never hides. On tough days, it's good news to see how Lamine Yamal can prevent defeat.

Añorem Pedri. But there's a downside too. For much of the match, the game was played at Lamine Yamal's pace. That is to say, at high speed. And the team can't play at Lamine Yamal's pace. The player from Rocafonda can, but his teammates can't. Barça often misses Pedri's rhythm. The Canary Islander knows when to step up a gear and when to slow down. With him, the ball is moved with purpose, and they don't fall into all the rushed situations that Flick's team did. Barça has a fantastic team that can win matches, but let's be honest: life without Pedri is a bit sadder.

Marc Bernal's minutes. What's the value of playing 45 minutes of a Champions League match for Barça? It's the dream of many young players. And Marc Bernal did it. True, partly because Eric Garcia was dazed from a knock, but Flick has shown he's not afraid to give playing time to young players who work hard. Everyone knows they're unlikely to start in a Clásico, but they've gotten into the swing of things and will enjoy some minutes. Everyone decides what they do in life, but while Bernal was playing a great second half, Dro was in Paris waiting to see what Luis Enrique wants from him. Maybe it'll work out, who knows. But if he hadn't left, Flick would have continued to nurture him.

A defense that was too weak. Flick's team has accepted that they'll always concede a goal. Therefore, they need to do more. As Cruyff said, if you concede two goals but score four, there's no need to suffer. For much of the match, the Danes found plenty of space. "Danes" is a bit of a stretch, since they didn't field a single Dane in the starting lineup. Be that as it may, Joan Garcia had his hands full. And for once, he made a mistake, on the Danes' second goal, which fortunately didn't count. If playing this style is already risky, you can't afford to give away chances, like Kounde's for the 0-1. Matches like this can be won, but to reach the final, they need to raise their game.