The final international break of 2026 arrives with Barcelona sitting atop the La Liga standings, inside the top eight in the Champions League league phase and on a high after a massive victory at Atlético Madrid. Yet, things aren’t as rose-colored as they were a month and a half ago.

Barcelona won six of the eight games they played between the two fall international windows, continuing to score in bunches, asserting themselves as one of Europe’s most dangerous teams and improving their season record to 14 wins from 16.

But the flaws of Hansi Flick’s side were also exposed. Barcelona’s perfect season came to an end at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain and then fell at home against a surging Real Madrid only days later in the first El Clásico of the campaign.

Although Barcelona rebounded and won three straight before the break—including the gargantuan victory against Atlético—defeats in the two biggest games of the season and a significant injury crisis have slightly dampened the mood on the season.

The two-week break will certainly help Barcelona recover players from injury and give Flick time to analyze where his team can improve entering a busy period of the campaign. With a quarter of the season in the rearview mirror, here’s five things we learned about Barcelona over their last eight games.

Barcelona Are Not the Best Team in the World

After winning their opening 11 games of 2026–27, Barcelona received two major reality checks against PSG and Real Madrid that bursted their fairytale bubble. The Catalans are not the best team in the world—PSG remain the team to beat—and they’ll have to continue improving or Real Madrid could seriously challenge their La Liga crown.

It’s not just that Barcelona’s record through 11 games was perfect; it’s that they were demolishing opponents. As a result, a sense of invincibility bled into Flick’s Barça 3.0, but two defeats and some shaky stretches during games decidedly removed any notion that the Catalans can’t be defeated.

Barcelona are mortal, with weakness strong opponents can exploit. Despite their strong start to the campaign, they haven’t won anything yet.

Still, coming back to reality doesn’t mean Barcelona are no longer contenders for major silverware. In fact, facing some adversity with the season still in its first half should help the team in the long run.

Lamine Yamal and Raphinha: The Best Attacking Duo in Europe

If Barcelona are going to have a chance of lifting their third straight league title and ending their 11-year Champions League drought, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha will likely be the biggest reasons why.

The attackers proved their incredible start to the season wasn’t just a purple patch and have continued to be incredibly productive in the aftermath of the September–October international break.

Both players are currently on 18 goal contributions in La Liga, the most of any player in the division. Raphinha leads the Pichichi race with 15 goals and Yamal is up to 25 goal contributions for Barça this season—the most of any player in Europe’s top five leagues.

Even when they aren’t playing their best games, they remain incredibly productive, evidenced by Raphinha’s strike against Real Madrid and Yamal’s moment of magic against PSG.

Barcelona’s route to success will come down to them outscoring opponents, and with Yamal and Raphinha at this level, they’ll have a chance against anyone. Add Fermín López’s 15 goal contributions into the mix and you have a prolific trio.

Don’t Forget About Frenkie de Jong

Barcelona acquiring Rodri after a sensational World Cup campaign for Spain came only weeks after Frenkie de Jong suffered a knee injury during said tournament.

The Dutchman was harshly criticized for playing the World Cup on an injured knee and with Rodri joining the club, many believed De Jong’s time at Barcelona could be coming to an end. But after missing the first two months of the campaign, De Jong is back and through four appearances, he’s emphatically silenced his critics.

Whether it’s at center back, right back or midfield, De Jong hasn’t put a foot wrong since returning from injury. His introduction in the second half against Atlético Madrid completely changed the game, as Barcelona were able to assume control of the match and eventually cruise to the finish line, with him and Pedri taking over the game.

De Jong and Pedri have barely played together in 2026, but they’ve formed a stellar partnership since Flick’s arrival. The Dutchman is making a strong case to keep his place in the XI even once Rodri returns from injury.

If all three are healthy, Flick turning to a 4-3-3 formation with a midfield trio of Rodri, Pedri and De Jong should be in consideration. But seemingly for the millionth time, the Dutchman has proven he belongs in Barça’s strongest XI.

More Production Is Needed From Left Wing

Barcelona’s prolific attack has managed to deliver despite little to no production from the left wing in recent games.

Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi had strong starts to their Barcelona careers, but they’ve failed to make any major contributions over the past month and a half. Adeyemi has one goal for Barça since the last international break, and Gordon’s three in his last eight games are the same amount he scored for England during the most recent international window. Neither player has assisted donning Blaugrana since September.

Especially in big games (PSG, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid), Gordon has emphatically looked like Barça’s weak link in attack, not appearing up to the level required in those games. Adeyemi, meanwhile, hasn’t done much to convince Flick he should start over the Englishman.

You can understand why Barcelona opted against making Marcus Rashford’s stint at Catalonia permanent last summer, but at this same stage a season ago, Rashford had produced six goals and seven assists in all competitions, including a match-winning Champions League brace and a goal in El Clásico. So far, in an even more potent attack, Gordon has three goals plus four assists and Adeyemi is on four goals and two assists.

Barcelona didn’t spend north of $100 million on the pair of wingers simply so they could combine to match Rashford’s production. Their work out of possession in Barça’s press has been admirable, but both Gordon and Adeyemi must start producing more consistently in attack, or else teams will once again focus their entire defensive game plan on stopping Yamal.

Barcelona Must Sign a Center Back in January

For the third season in a row, the backline is unquestionably Barcelona’s weakest area and the reason why many still don’t view them as serious challengers in the Champions League.

It’s an indictment on Barcelona’s recruitment strategy that after ignoring the glaring need to reinforce the backline over the summer, the club are exploring the center back market looking to acquire a new defender in January.

Still, the Catalans would be wise to follow that strategy. With the same cast of characters as a season ago—minus Ronald Araújo—Barcelona’s defense has left plenty of doubts over the past month, especially in big games. They haven’t conceded as much, but their backline looks just as shaky as it did a season ago.

To make matters worse, a devastating injury crisis has forced Flick to deploy players—including La Masia debutants—out of position to form a makeshift defense.

Finding a suitable partner for Pau Cubarsí in the heart of defense is a must, something Barça have ignored since Iñigo Martínez’s departure 15 months ago. Gerard Martín is solid but has a clear ceiling and has been outclassed in big games. Andreas Christensen is a quality player, but recent history indicates he can’t be relied upon given his next injury is a matter of when, not if.

Signing an established, left-footed center back in January should be an obligation for Barça. If they do, their chances of success this season would rise significantly. If they don’t, their Champions League history under Flick appears destined to repeat itself come the decisive part of the campaign.