Five observations from Barcelona's 1-1 draw with Valencia

#1 The defence remains an issue

Pique was at fault for Valencia's goal

Barcelona’s long-standing tradition of being dominant in midfield meant that their defence was rarely put in the spotlight. The control exerted by their midfield meant so much pressure was always put on opponents, hence the ball was almost always in the opposition half.

With the departures of key midfielders and forwards, Barcelona’s attack is no longer what it used to be, and their defence is now put under much more pressure than it ever has before.

Gerard Pique is the most experienced player in Barca’s backline, but the Catalan has never been a great defender, and his case is not helped by the increased spotlight being placed on him due to the absence of Samuel Umtiti.

Thomas Vermaelen was asked to deputize for the Frenchman in the 2-1 defeat to the then-bottom-placed Leganes. The Belgian alongside his Spanish partner were at fault for both goals scored by the hosts at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque.

Vermalen was replaced by new signing Simon Lenglet in midweek, but the Frenchman did not fare much better in the victory over Tottenham, leading to the return of the 32-year-old former Arsenal player against Valencia.

Once again, the defending at the Mestalla was poor, with the pair directly involved in Garay’s opener, as they failed to effectively clear their lines from Dani Parejo’ corner. They were also guilty of some slack defending which carved open multiple chances for Valencia, and Barcelona would have been severely punished if their hosts had been more clinical.

Barcelona’s defence has been a grey area, and the club has expended some tangible resources in fixing it, including the purchases of players such as Chygrinski and Carares, as well as youth product Marc Bartra, all to no avail.

Most title winning sides are built on great defences, and Barcelona’s superior attack has gotten them by all these years. However, the decline in their attack has cast a negative light on their defence, and this is an issue which, if not fixed, could prove calamitous in their quest for glory this season.