Before the match against Shakhtar Donetsk, Xavi Hernández pressed his squad on two clear objectives. Mathematically they could seal a place in the round of 16, banishing once and for all the European ghosts from the previous two seasons when Barcelona failed to advance past the group stage. The second aim was more emotional: to erase the sour image left by Anoeta after the heavy defeat to Real Sociedad. The victory was earned in extra time thanks to Araujo, yet the performance remained far from satisfactory.
The coach from Terrassa stressed that merely winning in Hamburg was not enough. The team had to win with a clean, entertaining performance. In reality, neither condition was met. A defeat against a weakened opponent, paired with a display that felt lackluster, prompted deep reflection within the locker room. While the result might not immediately affect the standings since Barça still had additional chances to prove themselves, the overall display suggested serious consequences for the season’s trajectory if addressed only superficially.
The starting lineup showed several changes: Christensen, Marcos Alonso, Oriol Romeu, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha joined the XI. The opening period was marked by high pressing and a willingness to press aggressively, forcing opponents into errors in their attempts to clear. Yet Lewandowski’s pace failed to translate into meaningful chances, and gradually the team’s initiative faded. There were few clear opportunities, with only two notable attempts, one from Gündoğan and another from Raphinha, testing the opponents in the first half.
The Ukrainian side countered with rapid, direct transitions that put Barcelona on the back foot. Ter Stegen had to be alert as threats accumulated on his goal, with Araujo and Christensen frequently required to win one-on-one duels. Araujo himself had to come to terms with the strain of defending during the match, and Ter Stegen kept the scoreline level when Matviyenko fired in the 14th minute. Sikan then looked to exploit space on the right flank in the 40th minute, sending a cross that eluded Christensen and Ter Stegen but did not beat the post.
Even with changes
The second half opened with a familiar pattern. Shakhtar remained dangerous on the break, yet their advantage could not be extended thanks to Ter Stegen’s precise positioning and reliable hands against shots from Gocholeishvili and Sikan. Sensing the need for a bold adjustment, Xavi did not hesitate to reshuffle the lineup. He sent in four fresh faces—Balde, Lamine, Joao Félix, and Pedri—to alter the rhythm and impose Barcelona’s pace on the game.
Immediately, the momentum shifted. From the right, Lamine delivered a dangerous cross that found Joao Félix ready to finish, though the shot lacked the finishing touch the moment demanded. Barcelona began to push the ball around the pitch, attempting to stretch the Ukrainian defense and create passing lanes, but the visitors remained compact, slow to concede space, and resolute in their defensive structure.
As minutes ticked by, Barcelona found it hard to create clear chances. The opponent’s stubborn shape made gaps scarce, and the inability to break through the central lines allowed the match to drift into a stalemate. The sense of urgency grew since the clock was not Barcelona’s ally, and the team looked to seize any small opening to alter the course of the game. The attempts to disturb the opponent’s rhythm remained largely ineffective, raising concern about the overall performance and the coaching staff’s ability to coax a more decisive display.
The match carried a riskier tone as late incidents hovered in the air. An offside call seemed to spare the hosts a harsher fate, while Barcelona’s late pushes hinted at a possible lifeline, but the final whistle left the team with more questions than answers. The results in this phase were less about the immediate outcome and more about a glimpse into the collective mood in the squad, and the implications for the upcoming fixtures. The sense was that the team had to recalibrate quickly if it hoped to meet both strategic aims and the expectations of its supporters.
The overall storyline reflected a team caught between necessity and ability, trying to balance the hunger for qualification with the demand for a more composed, efficient performance. The challenge ahead was clear: improve the tempo, sharpen the finishing, and defend with the same discipline that had kept the opposition at bay. Only then could the club translate the potential of its talent into consistent results that would reassure fans and silence critics who were already weighing the season’s prospects.
[citation: analyses and match reports from sports outlets provide context for the moments described. Attribution notes are included to indicate the sources of tactical insights and game events.]