Barcelona: Has Defeat Against Celta Vigo Exposed Luis Enrique's Shortcomings?

After an unprecedented run of league results, Luis Enrique suddenly finds himself caught in the crossfire.

Barcelona's boss bore a haunted look of incredulity at the full-time whistle of the match against his previous employers, Celta Vigo. As well he might, given the Galicians had won at Camp Nou for only the third time.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Not since 1977 had they tasted victory at Camp Nou—and far from a lucky performance, you'd have to argue that the visitors fully deserved their win.

Man-of-the-match Sergio Alvarez was equal to everything served up by the Catalans' most expensively assembled front line ever. Luis Suarez in particular was unlucky not to break his duck on his full home debut.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

But that shouldn't take the focus away from Celta's own excellence. They came to play, rather than sit back and defend, and manager Eduardo Berizzo deserves much credit for that.

That some of the main protagonists were deemed surplus to requirements at Barca provides an interesting footnote to proceedings.

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Tw Sergi Gomez (Celta): "Proud to have returned to what was my home. Many feelings in a great game of the whole team" pic.twitter.com/Nr5Ab8EgcW

— barcastuff (@barcastuff) November 1, 2014"

Sergi Gomez, a recent acquisition from Barca B, deserves kudos for a stellar performance at the back. WhoScored.com mark him as the best performing outfield player from either side, which says much about the standard of his work on the night.

Nolito was another to put in a decent shift, working the channels incessantly until he earned his reward—a sensational backheel pass to set up Joaquin Larrivey for the winner that stunned Camp Nou.

It was the moment of the match, sportingly acknowledged by the locals with a well-deserved round of applause.

Applause was sorely lacking at the final whistle, however, when a cacophony of whistles and boos greeting Luis Enrique's emergence from the bench and the exit of his players from the pitch.

The result, more than immediately knocking the Catalans from their lofty perch, offers question marks over Enrique's ability to change tack mid-game and inspire his glittering array of stars.

Those are questions that have been leveled at him before now.

Federico Formica of SerieAddicted notes from Lucho's time at AS Roma:

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Lucho was highly respected in the dressing room. But he never managed to inspire motivation and concentration in the team. Roma suffered many debacles in the 2011-2012 season: 3-0 from Fiorentina, 4-2 from Cagliari, 4-1 at Atalanta, 4-2 from Lecce, 4-0 from Juventus.

In each one of these games, the team showed an appalling lack of personality and let itself go, without even fighting. Lecce descended into Serie B—the Italian second division—that season but even so they outclassed Roma.

Games with Juventus are very important for Roma fans as the two clubs are divided by a harsh rivalry. But that night, Roma kneeled to the Bianconeri. Something unacceptable that definitely broke the relationship between Luis Enrique and Roma fans.  

The fault for such a lack of personality—and a never-ending discontinuity—has to be ascribed to the coach. It's odd for a player that became famous also for his grit and leadership, but he clearly didn't manage to convey these characteristics over to his players.

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Such an assessment might be considered harsh, but there are already similarities from his short tenure at Barca—just look how meekly the Blaugrana surrendered to Real Madrid just over a week ago.

Similarly, against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, the manager could offer nothing else tactically to turn the tide in a game that went away from them.

Christophe Ena/Associated Press

It's perhaps worth noting at this juncture that Tata Martino eventually fell on his sword because of his own inability to offer a "Plan B" when required.

Therefore, should Enrique really be afforded any extra courtesy just because he happens to have been schooled in the Barca way?

It's still very early days, however, and judgement should perhaps be reserved until at least the halfway point of the season. But there is clearly a lot work to be done to convince the doubters.

Best get to it, Lucho.