Dynamo Kyiv game offers struggling Barcelona the perfect opportunity to return to winning ways
Very little has improved at Barcelona despite the sacking of Ronald Koeman. The club’s hierarchy decided to fire the Dutch manager following a series of disappointing results.
The Blaugrana are currently nine points adrift from the top of La Liga, and winless in their last three matches. The pressure has all but transferred to interim boss Sergi Barjuan.
Barjuan handled his first game on Saturday, where Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw by Alaves. Now the 49-year-old is set to take charge of his debut Champions League game on Tuesday.
The Blaugrana are up against Dynamo Kyiv in a game that could define their European campaign. In the reverse fixture, Barcelona laboured for large parts, but were lucky to eke out a 1-0 home win. The onus lies with them to be better when they visit Ukraine.
✨ M A T C H D A Y !
🏆 @ChampionsLeague
🏟 NSC Olimpiyskiy
📍 Kyiv
🆚 @dynamokyiven
⏰ 9pm CET
📲 #DynamoBarça
Blaugrana face crucial test against Dynamo Kyiv
Gone are the days when one could point to Barcelona’s great home record. Now, the Blaugrana are as vulnerable at Camp Nou as they are on the road.
Barcelona have failed to win their last two home matches; they lost 1-2 to Real Madrid and drew 1-1 with Alaves. Dynamo Kyiv narrowly lost to the Blaugrana at Camp Nou on Matchday 3. So Kyiv will fancy their chances of a better result against the struggling Barcelona side on home turf.
Barjuan may have spent just a week with the squad, but he has inherited a team that is fast gravitating towards a crisis. The only way to restore confidence in the beleaguered group would be to win on the road on Tuesday.
Barcelona currently sit third in Group E – a point behind Benfica and six behind leaders Bayern Munich. That means dropping points against Dynamo Kyiv could prove damaging to their slim hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the competition.
There was a time when discussing the prospects of Barcelona playing in the Europa League would’ve sounded preposterous. But such a scenario would not be far-fetched if they fail to win at Kyiv.
❝We are all united.❞
— Interim manager @sergibarjuan12 ahead of #DynamoBarça https://t.co/E2Tu6HBvmX
Barcelona need victory to lift mood and sagging morale around the club
The mood around Barcelona hasn’t looked this low in a long time. There are too many underperforming players, and there seems to be a general lack of direction.
Fortunately for Barjuan, there is little expectation from him, as he is only occupying the role of interim coach before a full-time manager is hired soon.
That said, he will need to lead the team to victory against Dynamo Kyiv to win back the fans. Camp Nou has grown familiar with boos ringing from all angles, and that cannot be allowed to happen again on Tuesday.
“The players are under a lot of pressure; tomorrow is special, depending on them. They have everything in their hands. It’s true that they need to be organised, be the Barcelona that we want and hope for,” Barjuan said ahead of the game.
“The great luck that Barça players have is their talent. They are players who are used to any scenario and any kind of pressure. We will be better if we play without anxiety."
The interim Barcelona head coach said that his team needs to exude calmness when in possession. That could be key in beating Kyiv. He said:
“We will be better if we are calm with the ball, if we know how to find the spaces. Today in training we insisted on the need to be organised and be ourselves, to play with the essence of Barça that we want. Winning tomorrow would help change the mood."
Barcelona desperately need to win to lift the mood around the club, and they have the perfect opportunity to do that. Dynamo Kyiv are not the worst opposition one can face, so the Blaugrana will have to take their chances.