As Barcelona approach the first Clásico of the 2025/2026 season under Hansi Flick tactics, the atmosphere feels markedly different from the dominance of the previous campaign.
Flick, who led the team to a historic domestic treble, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, while defeating Xabi Alonsos Real Madrid in all four encounters last season, now faces a new challenge: sustaining excellence amid growing expectations.
The early stages of this campaign have exposed inconsistency and a lack of rhythm.
The opening 12 matches, nine in La Liga, reveal difficulties for FC Barcelona in maintaining a balance between tactical solidity and attacking fluidity.
This data analysis will examine the underlying causes behind Barcelona’s fluctuating start despite managerial continuity.
This Barca analysis will focus on both collective and individual aspects shaping Barca’s form, particularly the tactical and statistical reasons behind Lamine Yamal’s dip in performance following his injury return, as well as an in-depth look at the Pedri & Frenkie de Jong partnership, a duo widely regarded as the team’s structural core and the main source of optimism heading into El Clásico.
Lamine Yamal’s Post-Injury Struggles: When Individual Brilliance Disrupts Collective Balance
Since returning from injury, Lamine Yamal’s performances have painted a worrying picture for Barcelona.
Once seen as the team’s most dynamic and unpredictable outlet, the young winger’s form during the 2025/2026 season has been defined by inconsistency, poor decision-making, and a growing tactical imbalance that now affects the team’s collective structure.
From a data perspective, his attacking output has declined dramatically; 26 shots have produced a total xG of just 1.81, averaging 0.07 per attempt, with only two goals, one of which came from the penalty spot (xG 0.79).
This leaves him with a non-penalty xG of 1.02, a remarkably low figure for the volume of shots attempted. Even more telling is his efficiency; only 6 of his 26 shots were on target, and over 50% of his dribble attempts have been unsuccessful.
Lamine Yamal Shot Map & xG Distributions 2025/2026
Yamal’s decline isn’t purely technical; it’s deeply tactical.
Flick’s positional system relies on intense pressing from the front three, but Yamal’s lack of aggression and delayed reactions when closing down opponents have weakened Barcelona’s first line of pressure, a key principle of their defensive structure.
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