Three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Leganes | La Liga

After a tricky outing against Real Betis in La Liga, Barcelona bounced back in Europe with a stunning win over Borussia Dortmund in Germany and took down the Bundesliga giants at their fortress.

They will be back home for their next game in the league which is scheduled to kick off later today at Estadi Olimpic de Lluis Companys.

Taking on Leganes on Sunday night, the Catalans will be the favourites but can not take anything for granted.

Their opponents are currently seated in 17th place on the standings and are just a point above the relegation zone. Yet, one remembers that Las Palmas were in a similar situation last month but went on to defeat Hansi Flick’s men.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Leganes.

Flick’s first suspension

The refereeing in La Liga continues to be questionable as standards are applied variable to different individuals.

Despite all the grace and gratitude he shows to match officials, Hansi Flick also fell prey to the system in Barcelona’s last La Liga game.

The manager was shown a red card quite surprisingly, for he is not very vocal or animated on the sidelines as many other managers are.

It all unfolded when Frenkie de Jong conceded a penalty against Real Betis last weekend and the referee stepped pitch side to check the VAR replay.

Having made his decision after review, he awarded a penalty to the hosts and Flick gestured dissatisfaction without saying a word, yet saw a direct red card in what can only be described as bizarre.

The manager will thus be unavailable on the sidelines later tonight, as will he be absent against Atletico Madrid next week. With the coach not on the side to usher them on, it remains to be seen if it has any role to play in the result for the Catalans.

Nevertheless, he will still be in constant contact with his assistants on the sidelines as is the case in any managerial suspension.

The return of a monster

Barcelona have seen Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi step up in defence this season and the Spanish duo has done phenomenally well in maintaining the high line to perfection.

Yet, there has always been an eye on Ronald Araujo who suffered a serious injury in Copa America and had to undergo surgery, for the Uruguayan star was an undisputed starter for Barcelona last season.

After months of rest and recuperation, he is finally ready to make his debut this season in what comes as a massive boost to Flick’s plans. It brings depth to a department that has two worn-out players and the luxury of rotation will do the squad a world of good.

Flick confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Araujo will participate tomorrow and it remains to be seen if he will come off the bench or start on the night.

Considering that Atletico Madrid are up next and players like Cubarsi could use rest, there is a good chance the Uruguayan star may start and play close to an hour at least.

In any case, having Araujo back on the field is simply massive for Barcelona given how he is a vocal leader and a stellar defender and it remains to be seen how he evolves under Flick.

No margin for error

Barcelona’s recent games in La Liga have been far from good enough as the club has looked lost and uninspired on the field.

The attack, dampened without Lamine Yamal for long, struggled to create as many chances as normal but even his return has not brought back the team’s best version.

It is evident that the team is struggling to keep the energy up given how much the new manager’s system demands physically but the performance against Borussia Dortmund gave reason to believe that they can still channel that same greatness.

After dropping serious points in La Liga, Barcelona simply have no more ground to lose. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have caught up with them on the standings and the coming match-days will be critical in ensuring they maintain the lead.

Los Blancos dropped points against Rayo Vallecano last night and a win tonight will thus help Barcelona pull four points clear. Should they beat Atletico Madrid next week, they will also have the chance to establish a gap with Los Rojiblancos.

The Blaugrana must thus turn up against Leganes as if it were a must-win game and keep the momentum they gained at Signal Iduna Park. There is not much margin for error.