The Barcelona squad is reeling from the departure of Neymar and has no solution in sight. The multiple transfer failures and the shock of Neymar’s departure have left the squad completely unprepared for this season.
The season did not start well with the first game against arch-rivals Real Madrid. Barcelona took a beating, including an own goal, and will find it hard to tie the series away in Madrid. Real Madrid, on the other hand, has built a balanced team that is looking stronger than ever.
The approach to the season was good, with wins against Real Madrid, Juventus, and Manchester United in the United States. Everything fell apart after the club announced Neymar’s departure. You cannot fault the club for thinking that 220 million Euros would give the sort of war chest they could use to make the difference.
Unfortunately, all transfer deals following Neymar’s departure have been failures. The club’s attempts to hire Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho have been an embarrassment. Even the rumors of Inigo Martinez moving have stopped.
The good news for Barcelona is that Messi is still at the top of his game, and needs only some support and two good midfielders. It will only take a one or two successful signings, and Barcelona could make a comeback this season. Even with the existing lineup, the team can hardly be described as an underdog.
The fact is that Barcelona is weaker without Neymar, and they need to do some soul-searching, quickly, to get back on their feet.
