Barcelona is in a crisis, but for some reason, nobody wants to admit it. The club’s fans, along with the pro-Barcelona Catalan sports press, are always the first ones to point out a problem that may or may not exist. “Crisis” is the word used to describe the slightest setback.

Barcelona was in “crisis” when the inexperienced Pep Guardiola was named coach instead of Jose Mourinho. Barcelona was in “crisis” when Guardiola failed to win his first two games. Barcelona was in “crisis” when Lionel Messi went for several games without scoring last season. 

It didn’t matter that Barcelona won those games, only that the club’s iconic forward was falling behind in the scoring charts. But now, if ever, “crisis” is the appropriate word to use to describe the Spanish club.

However impossible, unthinkable, and thoroughly unacceptable this may seem, Barcelona is 10 points behind Real Madrid in La Liga, with 14 rounds remaining.

So do the math. For Barcelona to win, Real Madrid would need to lose four times in 14 matches and Barcelona would have to win every remaining game. That’s a tough challenge, given that Real Madrid has only lost twice in the last 22 league fixtures. 

Barcelona fans can only hope that Real Madrid will lose at home to both Valencia and Sevilla, and lose away to Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Though Real Madrid will be the underdog against Barcelona, it will be tipped to win the other games.

Meanwhile, the Azulgranas have tough games ahead. Away games are planned against Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, and Sevilla, while Barcelona’s near perfect home record may be tarnished by Valencia, Athletic Bilbao, Malaga, or, of course, Real Madrid.

The endless series of trophies won in the past three and a half years has lured Barcelona into a sense of complacency. Everybody knows that dominance must end. Nobody wants to admit that this may be taking place now.

What makes this season different from previous ones? The squad is stronger, with the additions of Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez. Bit-part players such as Bojan, Jeffren, Maxwell, and Milito were dispatched.

Surely Barcelona should have emerged stronger. But unfortunately strength in personnel has been under-utilized. 

The dazzling Barcelona side of recent years used a creative formation that hasn’t been successfully imitated. Some say the team plays with three defenders and seven midfielders, but the orthodox interpretation would be four defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards.

The strongest starting lineup has a back four of Eric Abidal, Carles Puyol, Gerard Piqué, and Dani Alves, a midfield trio of Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas, and Andres Iniesta, and an attacking triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Pedro Rodriguez, and David Villa. 

Barcelona is more than happy to trot out the wonder team against Real Madrid, but big names are often missing against lesser opponents. The last time the squad played at full strength against a smaller team, taking account players who were injured on the occasion, was against Santos, in the Club World Cup final.

Barcelona won that game 4-0. Fourteen games, one loss, and four draws later, the squad has yet to see a similar score line. The question isn’t about why the team isn’t playing well. It’s about why the team isn’t there. 

Guardiola’s superteam was often criticized for wearing down players too quickly. The team is so small that the coach cannot afford to give players adequate rest. There has always been a time around February where Guardiola’s side would drop points due to fatigue and injuries.

But Guardiola’s side was never 10 points behind by February. Guardiola’s side never was 10 points behind, period. Has he gone from being reckless to overly cautious?

In any event, winning the league is nothing more than a fanciful day-dream for Barcelona fans. An away victory against Bayer Leverkusen reminds them that winning the Champions League for a second time in a row is still a possibility.

The only difference is that in addition to Real Madrid, foreign giants such as Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Internazionale, and Milan are competing. Instead of one formidable opponent, Barcelona faces five.

Barcelona, however, is the odds-on favorite to win the Copa Del Rey, entering the final against Athletic Bilbao. But it all depends on the Barcelona we see. Will it be the one that beat Real Madrid 3-1, or the one that lost 3-2 to Osasuna? 

In the heyday of Barcelona’s success, what was most impressive about the squad was its consistency. Consistency is one thing that has all but disappeared. How long will it be until the other attributes of Barcelona’s dominance follow it down the drain?