Stats expose Barcelona’s issues with midday matches | OneFootball

Barcelona have been in excellent form recently, scoring plenty of goals, but there is one key area Hansi Flick must address—his team’s struggles in lunchtime matches.

Despite the team’s strong performances at other times, their record in games played at 2 pm is far from convincing.

It must be noted that when asked about whether he would adjust his routine for the upcoming match against Alaves at 2 pm, Flick downplayed the significance of the timing.

He stated that the preparations would remain largely unchanged, although he acknowledged that adaptations might be needed.

The German coach doesn’t appear to place much importance on the statistics or timing of matches, yet the numbers tell a different story.

But what about the record?

Barcelona’s track record in lunchtime games has been disappointing. This season, they suffered a surprise loss to Las Palmas in November.

Barcelona face Alaves this afternoon. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

What was supposed to be a celebration of the club’s 125th anniversary quickly turned into a disappointment, with the team falling 1-2 to the Canary Islands side.

Looking back over the past few seasons, Barcelona’s results during these early kick-offs have been less than stellar. Out of five matches played at lunchtime, the club has managed to secure only one win.

In the 2020-21 season, they recorded a comfortable 4-0 victory over Osasuna, but that same season saw them unable to beat Cadiz, finishing 1-1 at home.

In the following years, the results didn’t improve much. In the 2022-23 season, they drew 1-1 with Espanyol in a derby, and in the 2023-24 season, they again drew 1-1, this time with Rayo Vallecano.

These statistics suggest that Barcelona struggle to perform at their best in midday fixtures, a challenge that Flick must now consider as he prepares his squad for the upcoming match.

While the coach might not be superstitious or overly concerned with these figures, the numbers present a clear pattern that could prove difficult to ignore.