Barcelona takes a break in Huesca

Today's Barcelona was not the same team that we saw last Wednesday. Ernesto Valverde's side was composed of a mostly younger crowd of players and the occasional more experienced one, with Dembélé coming back from his resting time to prove he's ready for the UCL clash next week. 

This could have been Huesca's perfect chance at avoiding relegation, as today's Barcelona squad was not at their best. The starting eleven was composed of footballers that are clearly not accostumed to playing together: the chemistry and quality the Catalonian giants are known for was nowhere to be seen, and without Messi or Suarez, the goals or enjoyable football did not make an appareance.

Huesca, however, did not deliver, as they were perhaps too focused on the monumental task of winning against the table leaders to create any meaningful chances. With their only chance wasted, even with a very laid back and disconnected Barca, the team is at an almost assured relegation, despite not losing any of their three last matches. 

Aditionally, Barcelona's laid back behaviour was not exactly shocking. The team sits at the top of  La Liga with a comfortable advantage over seconds Atletico Madrid, are headed for the Copa del Rey final, and their chances at getting through the next round of the UCL are higher than they have been in a couple of seasons. Valverde's decision to rest up his star player - who recieved a pretty painful looking blow to his nose last Wednesday - made perfect sense, as even a loss for the team would've left them in safe territory. This, however, should worry some Barcelona fans. Messi's role is so important that whenever he does not play, his absence is dully noted. No player managed to replace his essential position today, and the game was goaless for it.  The best action of the match came early on; a beautiful pass from 19-year-old Riqui Puig to Dembélé, perhaps the most "Messi like" player of the game, who unfortunately did not manage to score. He did however bring some heat to a game that was otherwise full of tedious moments and poor performances by others. 

The same cannot be said of Boateng, one of Barcelona's latest and most questioned signings, who's second game for the team was poor to say the least. Today's clash agaisnt Huesca saw him commit fouls, offsides or simply disappear from a pitch where a highly seasoned player like himself should have delivered a better performance. If his intention was to prove his worth and be considered as a more permanent fixture for Valverde, he did not the deliver. Instead, the German-Ghanean player just proved to be easily replaceable, especially for a team that is having a great season, and could even win the treble. 

Today's game was unexceptional for a Huesca that should have been, and a Barcelona who have, as they say, "bigger fish to fry" next week when they meet Manchester United for the second leg of their UCL clash that could determine their treble win.