Barcelona's defensive weaknesses exposed after a nerve-wracking draw in the Champions League

Center-back Eric Garcia openly expressed after the 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League group phase on the morning of November 6 (Vietnam time) that the Catalonia side urgently needs to enhance their defense to prevent further point losses.

The draw against Club Brugge was seen as a disappointing slip-up for Hansi Flick’s squad. Despite having a strong lineup and dominating possession, Barcelona allowed the Belgian team to break through their defense far too easily. La Liga’s representative fell behind three times and only managed to salvage a point thanks to late efforts.

After the match, defender Eric Garcia did not hide his frustration. He stated: “The opponents created numerous dangerous situations for us, with just two passes, they were already inside the penalty area. This is clearly an area the entire team must improve. Nevertheless, we responded well and also created several chances.”

According to Garcia, the issue is not only with the defense but also stems from dangerous ball losses by the whole team. He emphasized: “This is everyone's responsibility. We are losing possession in dangerous zones and need to reduce that as soon as possible. It’s frustrating to concede right after equalizing. But there’s no other choice; we have to keep pushing forward.”

Throughout the 90 minutes at Jan Breydel Stadium, Barca showed a lack of cohesion in midfield and looseness in defensive cover. Brugge’s quick counterattacks repeatedly put the red-blue defense on high alert, while the offense, despite scoring three goals, could not mask the defensive errors behind.

Not only frustrated by the result, Garcia also suffered a health issue after a heavy collision late in the second half. The Spanish center-back had to leave the pitch for a medical check and admitted: “I think my nose is broken.” According to Spanish media, he will undergo further examinations to determine the injury’s severity before returning to La Liga action.

This draw further raises doubts about Barcelona’s defensive organization under Hansi Flick. Despite boasting attacking stars like Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, and Lamine Yamal, their frequent defensive lapses cast uncertainty over their title ambitions.

After their Champions League trip, Barcelona will return to La Liga to face Celta Vigo early next Monday. This match is seen as an opportunity for the “Catalan giants” to regain solidity and reaffirm their status before entering the demanding phase of the season.