Coach Hansi Flick has promised we will see a “different Barcelona side” in the coming weeks after Tuesday’s chastening 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.
A Jules Koundé own goal gave Chelsea a first-half lead in London, with Estêvão and Liam Delap on target in the second period after Barça defender Ronald Araújo had been sent off just before the break.
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The defeat leaves the Spanish champions 15th in the standings, with just seven points from their five games and in real danger of missing out on the top eight and a direct path to the round of 16.
“We will see a different Barcelona in the next games, this is what I can promise,” Flick said in the post match news conference, attempting to put a positive slant on the loss. “This is also what I said before the game. I see how we train, the quality, the intensity. It’s totally different than maybe six weeks ago.
“Players are coming back, increasing the quality in the training. I have good feeling about that and am looking positive.
“You can see I am happy that Raphinha is back again in the second half today, Marcus [Rashford] is on his level after flu, Pedri will come [back soon]. We have to work hard and look positive.”
Ferran Torres missed a golden chance to give Barça an early lead against Chelsea before the Premier League side took charge.
Koundé turned into his own net after good work from Marc Cucurella and Pedro Neto before Araújo was sent off for a second booking for a late challenge on Cucurella in the 43rd minute.
A fine individual goal from Estêvão doubled Chelsea’s lead in the 55th minute and substitute Delap completed the scoring to leave Flick lamenting his team’s lack of aggression.
“We need to be more aggressive, especially in the one against one situations,” the German added. “When you see Chelsea, they always have that aggression, they play more with the body, more dynamic in the one against one situations. This is what I want from my team.
“Sometimes we think we can we control, also with the ball, but here in the Champions League, and especially here against a club playing in the Premier League, second in the table, it’s not like that, so we have to fight a little bit more and play more aggressive.
“But we started very well in the game, we had a big chance to score the first goal and, of course, with a red card, everything changed.
“It’s not easy against this fantastic team to come back with 10 players. We have to accept this defeat, but I am looking very positive for the next games.”
Barça defender Eric García, meanwhile, labelled it a “really bad night.”
“We had a couple of good chances, but then we concede from a set play and in the second half we tried to stay in the game, to do damage on the counter, but the second goal kills you,” he told reporters.
“Chelsea were playing through the pressure and we didn’t adjust well. We tried to play out with the full-backs but it was impossible, while they were finding the free man. We were chasing the ball the whole time.
“We have to be more competitive in these type of games. The duels, the second balls…if you’re not strong there, it’s almost impossible to win.”
Barça close the Champions League league phase with fixtures against Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague and Copenhagen, but before then they turn their attention back to LaLiga, with back-to-back home games at Spotify Camp Nou against Alavés and Atlético Madrid coming up.
