Barcelona’s season took a turn for the worse after the November international break, with a run of terrible performances and results that continued through December and the first two weeks of 2024, culminating in the awful El Clásico defeat in the Spanish Super Cup Final.
It is no coincidence that Barça’s worst stretch of the season has happened since the season-ending injury to midfielder Gavi in Spain duty. The 19-year-old had become a crucial part of the team just before tearing his ACL, and he was one of the big reasons why Barça were playing well and showing great competitive spirit during the months of September and October when the Blaugrana were winning almost every game.