It all feels a bit different now, doesn't it? For their latest game in a packed December, as the team geared up to take on Real Betis, the air of invincibility the club enjoyed earlier in the season seemed to have dissipated. After a glittering start to the Hansi Flick era, with the team peaking in October, Barcelona were in dreamland. After all, dunking four past the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid within the same week isn't for everyone.

Early Season Glory and Recent Struggles

A little over a month later, the Blaugrana juggernaut seems to have slowed down in recent weeks, at least domestically, bringing fans and the players alike crashing back down to Earth. Ever since Barcelona’s win over local rivals Espanyol at the start of November, the team has only managed to accumulate five points from their next five games in the league, with losses against Real Sociedad and Las Palmas and draws against Celta Vigo and Real Betis.To further the thought, the goalfest draws came from winning positions with the team ahead in the game and on the cusp of seeing it out, only to throw it all away. The fractured form in recent weeks can largely be attributed to evident dipped physical levels, which unsurprisingly has hindered Barcelona’s execution of the physically demanding system under Hansi Flick. How else do you explain the sudden cracks in the high offside line and the laboured movements of the havoc-wrecking forwards up front?

Player Fatigue and System Challenges

The situation calls for a time of reflection and takes us right back to the start of the season. When Flick arrived, there was a certain reluctance to optimism at Barcelona. Certain things were pretty clear from the get-go. How the German lines up. The system he likes to play. The high-defensive line. The profile of players who play a prominent role in his teams. But doubts remained nonetheless. Doubts about whether his trademark style of ‘high-risk, high-reward’ football with relentless pressing and untiring running on both ends of the pitch would be sustainable for the entirety of the season. Whether this very style is compatible with the squad made available to him. Or whether Barcelona’s lack of quality squad depth would come back to bite them when rest must be afforded to the first-choice XI. All of these questions still remain unanswered to this day.

Addressing Concerns and Adapting

In fact, Hansi Flick has been finally bestowed the opportunity to address these concerns this far into the season and confront reality. The bitter laydown is, after a blistering start, the players chosen as Flick’s Gala XI have started to fizzle out physically. The style of play that propelled the team up in the clouds earlier is proving to be more of a bane than boon against opposition that plan to frustrate the Catalans by remaining organized in their press and defense. There is a reason Barcelona are able to perform against the best of the sides in the Champions League, who have to be fearless to survive, and not so much against those who simply plan to deny Barcelona the fun of tearing them apart.For the latter, the game calls out for a more familiar controlled approach in possession, contrary to the gung-ho style Flick has introduced. There is a reason that the Barcelona teams of the past were able to control games as they did. Mind you, this reason advises to honour the past, not be obsessed with it.The current streak of inconsistency also asks questions of the level of substitutes at the club. The likes of Frenkie de Jong, Ferran Torres and Gerard Martin, are deputies for key positions in Flick’s setup yet for reasons sporting or physical are unable to provide quality solutions to the team. It leaves Flick with one hand tied behind his back, knowing very well that his changes cannot win him games. It is a disadvantage that prompts him to overuse much of his preferred pool of players.

Looking Ahead and Trusting the Process

Bottom line, the situation tells a story of a forgotten fact – Barcelona is still very much a team under construction sportingly, financially and now philosophically. Concerns that loom so large now, did so in July too. But the team’s incredible form papered over and now find themselves front and centre of Barcelona’s recent exploits.It also calls out the fans for their short-lived cautious optimism, who quickly traded their unwavering support for justifiable yet towering expectations as the team took no prisoners when they picked up some steam. The Barcelona that romped over teams in stellar wins isn't dusted, but now demands the same patience that was promised when Hansi Flick got the keys to the club.The dip in form is noticeable, worrying even. But it is not without these underlying contexts that need to be understood. It must also not be forgotten that Hansi Flick has done an amazing job so far. With the resources at his disposal, he continues to get the best out of his players without throwing any tantrums.It is his commitment to his ideas and philosophy that has brought this team to this juncture and jumping ship just as waters get tricky won't do anyone any favors. Flick knows what he is doing. He even hit the right notes in his analysis of the draw against Real Betis, reassuring of the fact that the best is yet to come. Trust the process. The team is still yet to hit their peak. The season is long and serious business is yet to start. To quote Ruben Amorim, “The storm will come”.