Barcelona Shouldn't Press the Panic Button After Malaga Defeat

When Barcelona lose a game, there is a tendency in the locale to go into full-blown crisis mode.

Luis Enrique, who has gone from zero to hero in a matter of weeks, will no doubt find himself back in the former category after the loss to Malaga at the weekend.

More so given his post-match press-conference comments, detailed by Dermot Corrigan of ESPN:

"

This result is damaging for us, although Malaga played a very good game and set up very well.

We are used to these types of game. I would like it to be an accident, but it is normal that teams come here and close up.

These results are good for making you realise that opponents also have their merits and quality. I would go as far to say this defeat was deserved.

"

He may not find too many friends after making such bold statements, but Barca's manager is entirely correct.

Javi Gracia's side executed their game plan perfectly, and for those who decry their performance as another attempt by a visiting side to "park the bus," watch the game again. See how many times Los Boquerones had the Catalans on the back foot especially on the breakaway.

Malaga were good value for their first three points at the venue since 1999. It happens. 

Indeed, those with short memories have probably conveniently consigned losses to Numancia and Hercules under Pep Guardiola's tenure to the rubbish bin.

In a wider context, all teams need results like this to remind themselves of certain shortcomings. No team is infallible, and arguably you learn next to nothing by going on 11-game winning streaks.

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Luis Enrique and his staff now have more to work on over the next two days than they have had in the last two months. Perfect timing.

Manuel Pellegrini and his team may well be rubbing their hands together. Nine goals in their last two games will have the Citizens high on confidence going into Tuesday's mouth-watering Champions League first-leg tie.

Yet they too will need to learn the lessons from the three home games prior to the Newcastle game where they were comprehensively undone by both Arsenal and Middlesbrough and poor against Hull City.

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Manchester City do have the staff to hurt Barcelona, of course. There's no point in arguing otherwise. But let's take last season's matchup between the sides as the barometer. Two goals to nil flattered City. 

And Barca are a much different proposition now to what they were 12 months ago.

Defensively solid for the first time in a long time, despite the blip, Enrique can build again from that platform.

In Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, he has a front three that have scored more than any other attack in European football in 2015.

City won't set up as defensively as Malaga did because it's simply not in their make-up to do so. Gaps will be there for the Catalans to exploit.

We should expect to see a football match of the highest quality, but there will only be one winner. And they don't wear sky blue.

Move along, nothing to see here...