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Barcelona returned from the festive break with a disappointing performance as a spirited Eibar side held the Catalans to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
The hosts came into this fixture on the back of a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid before Christmas. Manager Ronald Koeman stuck to the same three-man defence system that gave him that victory.
The big talking point when the team news was announced was the absence of Lionel Messi, with the Barcelona skipper granted additional leave by the club.
In his stead, Antoine Griezmann was handed a start, while Junior Firpo came in for the suspended Jordi Alba.
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Barcelona started the game brightly and got an excellent chance to go ahead when Pedro Bigas fouled Ronald Araujo in the area inside the opening six minutes.
Referee Javier Rojas initially waved play on but changed his decision after consultations with VAR, only for Martin Braithwaite to blast the ensuing spot-kick wide.
The Denmark international thought he had redeemed himself when he converted with an excellent finish in the 25th minute but VAR chalked off the goal for a marginal offside decision.
Neither goalkeeper was called into action much after that, and both sides went into the break level.
A defensive error by Ronald Araujo allowed Kike Garcia to run straight at the Barcelona goal. The Eibar striker made no mistake when he came one-on-one with Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
This goal sparked some movement on the Barcelona touchline as Philippe Coutinho and Francisco Trincao came on for Miralem Pjanic and Griezmann respectively. The change had an immediate impact.
Some beautiful interplay on the flank allowed Coutinho to play Firpo in his stride. The left-back found Ousmane Dembele at the far post with an excellent cutback that was finished with aplomb.
The equaliser sparked Barcelona into life but despite fashioning some half-chances, the visitors held on for the draw. Koeman would have been worried by Coutinho limping off with what appeared to be an ankle problem at the death.
Here, we shall have a rundown of five talking points from the La Liga game.
#5 Barcelona end 2020 on a disappointing note
The year 2020 was one to forget for Barcelona, who were unarguably one of the most disappointing clubs of the year.
Having picked up a win before Christmas, the Catalans would have been looking to end the year on a high. However, that was not to be as another dour performance ensured that Eibar left Camp Nou with a well-deserved point.
This stalemate means that Barcelona could potentially enter the new year 10 points behind Atletico Madrid, having played a game more. This is hardly an ideal position to be in.
#4 Kike Garcia continues fine run of form in front of goal
Eibar forward Kike Garcia scored a contender for the goal of the season in the 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid. Having drawn blanks against Alaves, the 31-year-old was once more among the goals against the second Clasico giants.
Although he owed the goal to a major defensive error by Araujo, the former Middlesbrough man deserves credit for holding his nerve against one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He placed a calm finish beyond the reach of Ter Stegen in the 57th minute.
Jose Luis Mendilibar would hope his number 17 can keep up the good work in front of goal.
#3 Ousmane Dembele makes goalscoring return
Ousmane Dembele's Barcelona career has been plagued by injuries for its entirety, and a hamstring injury saw the France international spend the last four games in the treatment room.
Having returned to full fitness, Koeman named the 23-year-old on the bench but he summoned the World Cup winner at the start of the second half.
The introduction of Dembele helped inject some urgency and directness to the Barcelona attack, and he got a well-deserved goal to bring his side level in the 67th minute.
His positioning was superb to take advantage of Firpo's cutback, while his technique to place a right-footed, one-time finish past Marko Dmitrovic was of the highest quality. The former Dortmund man also fashioned some good chances late in the game.
Koeman would now be hoping that Dembele can stay fit to help Barcelona in the new year.
#2 Antoine Griezmann puts up another anonymous showing in Barcelona colours
The absence of Messi gave Antoine Griezmann a chance to shine but he once again failed to take it, which was rather disappointing considering his abilities.
The France international's talents are not in doubt but he has failed to show them on a consistent basis at Camp Nou, much to the chagrin of Barcelona fans.
Against Eibar, the 28-year-old was handed a starting role on the left flank of attack but he failed to make a mark on the game and was largely on the peripheries before his substitution after the hour mark.
In total, he had just two shots, with one of those on target, while he also failed to make a key pass in the game.
An indication of how low his stock at Barcelona has fallen lies in the fact that Braithwaite was allowed to take the first-half penalty despite the fact that he was on the field. The look on Griezmann's face when he was substituted tells the full story of his disappointment.
#1 More questions to be asked of Ronald Koeman after yet another sub-par performance from Barcelona
For as long as everyone can remember, Ronald Koeman has told anyone who cared to listen that the Barcelona managerial role was his dream appointment.
The 57-year-old had captained the side to glory during his playing days and hoped to take his iconic status one step further by making a mark on the managerial bench.
His dream appointment, however, came at the worst time and is slowly turning into a nightmare for the former Everton manager.
Under his watch, Barcelona have played some of the most lethargic football in recent years, while this stalemate with Eibar also highlighted their overdependence on Messi.
His decision to use three defenders against Valladolid might have gotten the job done, but it backfired spectacularly against Eibar, which leaves the Catalans sixth on the La Liga table.
Despite controlling most of the possession, Barcelona failed to create many clear-cut chances and at this rate, it is hard to see Ronald Koeman lasting the season at Camp Nou.
