To blame Barcelona’s struggles solely on their failure to manage the final minutes would be the biggest understatement of the season. It points to a much deeper issue that must be addressed urgently, or the campaign—particularly in Europe—could unravel quickly.
The prevailing narrative in Barcelona’s football circles highlights the manager’s frustration with the team’s struggles to manage decisive moments. At first glance, the argument appears valid. Last season’s semi-final collapse remains a textbook example of Barcelona’s inability to see out crucial endings.
Yet, the recent performance against PSG revealed a harsher truth: even had Barcelona advanced, the final would likely have exposed deeper shortcomings. At times, the real issues are concealed in plain sight, overlooked because they have quietly persisted all along.
To solve a problem, you must eliminate the root cause, not just fix the symptoms. Paul D. Bunn
