Pedri begs “half-asleep” Barcelona to “break”

During that run, they picked up just five points from a possible 18 and saw their lead at the top of the table disappear. They are now level on points with Atletico Madrid, who host next weekend, and are one point behind Real Madrid, while both Madrid teams have a game in hand.

“It was a bad game, it’s impossible to be happy,” Pedri told reporters after the loss. “I think we started the game half asleep. We woke up and created chances, but we didn’t have the spark to score a goal.

“We have to be better in front of goal if we want to score points. We have bad results in the league and we have to change things.”

It was Leganes’ first away win in La Liga this season, while Barca have lost their last two matches at the Stadio Olimpico since losing to Las Palmas two weeks ago.

Barca remain in good form in the Champions League, having won five of their six games in the competition, including a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund in midweek, and Pedri hopes they can carry their European performances into the League.

“We’ve had a lot of games in a row, but that’s no excuse, we have to finish with the same confidence as in the Champions League,” he added. “If you don’t score goals in football, you can’t win.”

Gonzalez’s early goal paved the way for Barca’s onslaught, but they couldn’t find a way past the visitors’ keeper Marko Dmytrovych. The Blaugrana finished the game with over 20 shots, six of which came from Lewandowski, who posted an xG of 1.65 on his own.

With Hansi Flick suspended, assistant coach Markus Sorg replaced the German on the touchline and he admitted that Barca’s young side may have to get used to the ups and downs of this season.

“It’s very difficult in La Liga and it’s difficult for us now during the games,” Sorg told a press conference. “Today, especially in the first 10 minutes, we weren’t as focused as we usually are, or sometimes (as it happens) in the Champions League.

“We conceded a goal and after that the team does everything they can to score goals. We created a lot of chances, I think the 21 and the five-six were really good chances and that’s the problem. We have to teach the players that too ( you need to get used to playing every three to four days.

“We’re definitely not happy with the form at the moment. But sometimes you have to accept if you want to build a team, there are ups and downs in the process.”

Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal injured his ankle in the first half but played until the end of the second half. He will be examined on Monday to see if there is any long-term damage.

Barca hope he will be available for their final game of 2024, at home to Atletico next weekend. The Catalan side’s poor run of results, combined with Atletico’s six-game winning streak, means they enter this level of play on points at the top of La Liga.