Innocent rebellion, a double-edged sword for Barcelona

For better and for worse. For better and for worse. When it comes up heads and also when it comes up tails. You have to love them just the same. Barcelona is not duplicitous, it goes straight ahead. Always. Too much, in fact. The same characteristics that have excited Barcelona fans can cost the Blaugrana dearly in the Copa del Rey after the 4-4 in the first leg against Atlético . Barça is a daring and brave team to the point of being almost reckless. They are two sides of the same coin. Inseparable from each other right now, at this moment of the Flick project, which started seven months ago. One moment they enchant and the next they drive their own coach to despair, who could not contain himself and angrily threw an empty bottle of water after Sorloth's final equaliser.

The rebellion of someone who refuses to be seen as a supporting actor and rises up by scoring four goals coexists with the innocence of a team that has everything in its favour and is guilty of inexperience, opening the door to its rival and leaving everything to be decided. The two contrasts inhabit the Blaugrana team, which is light and shadow, something that already happened against Simeone's men in the League when they also played wonderfully, delighted but forgave and lost in extra time.

History repeats itself Simeone's men are resisting the vibrant football of Flick's men, who also played wonderfully against Atlético in the League and lost in extra time.

In 55 minutes, Barcelona unleashed their dominance and beat Musso, the goalkeeper for the cup tournament, four times. Pedri, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez and Lewandowski reflected on the scoreboard the superiority of a team that was a furious outburst led by the teenager Lamine Yamal from the right wing.

This is not the first time that they have let their hair down. The big games suit this team, which is motivated and excels when the demands are greatest. This is what has happened every time they have faced a powerful rival. They are motivated when they have a powerful rival. Without any complexes, they have faced Real Madrid (twice), Bayern, Benfica and Borussia Dortmund and have defeated them with attacking and fast-paced football, very ambitious. In all these duels there have been many goals: nine for the Whites, five for the Lisbon team and four for the Bavarians.

From joy to anger Barça comes out asleep, which causes them to suffocate, then they go on to love and score goals and end up despairing

At the moment, Atlético are resisting the frenetic play of Hansi Flick's men , perhaps because Simeone's men are more accustomed to being overwhelmed at times and are capable of raising their heads when least expected.

After 25 La Liga games, eight Champions League games and five single-match knockout ties – including the Super Cup final – Flick's Barcelona played their first 180-minute knockout tie on Tuesday and showed that they still have to improve to pass this test.

The spirit Relying more on experience surely goes against the soul of a Barça that always wants to score another goal

The first lesson is to go into the game with all five senses from the first minute – something that they didn't do in Yida against Madrid either – and that would avoid the embarrassment of finding themselves 0-2 down on the scoreboard and having to come back. The second chapter is the last few minutes. The Blaugrana didn't know how to play the final stretch of the match when they were winning by a difference of two goals, something that already happened to them in Balaídos against Celta in the League (from 0-2 they went to 2-2 in the final).

On Tuesday, the 4-2 scoreline was a good lead for the return match, but the last ten minutes were too hectic for Barça, who gave in to the temptation of being able to kill the game. The coach, despite having two substitutions left to stop the match, made a double substitution just after the 4-3. And in the 93rd minute, Lino, Sorloth and Correa were in Szczesny's area. If the Norwegian hadn't finished, Correa would have also come from behind with his shotgun ready.

Lesson for the recent future Managing the final minutes is a pending issue ahead of the Champions League round of 16

Barça continued to position their defence 40 metres from their goal and, with Fermín, Gavi and Lamine Yamal in the starting eleven, looked towards the opponent's area. Would it have been better to look for more skill? That surely goes against the soul of Flick's Barça, who always want to score one more goal.

These are the sins of youth, as the German coach also sees it, but they are mistakes that serve to draw conclusions and learn from them , especially now that the Champions League ties are coming up, starting with the round of 16 against Benfica. In Europe, details – such as Araújo's expulsion last season against PSG – can send you home. They have been warned.