India, Oct. 29 -- Barcelona and the ghosts of the UEFA Champions League are nothing new. It has been over a decade since the Blaugrana last lifted the trophy. Financial troubles, the post-Lionel Messi era and poor transfer decisions have all contributed to that. Things had finally started to look up under Hansi Flick, but their latest defeats to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Real Madrid in El Clasico have brought back familiar concerns.

The 2-4 loss to PSG and then a nervy 1-2 defeat to Real Madrid exposed vulnerabilities that continue to hold them back on big occasions. The attacking football associated with Barcelona is back under Flick. But the high defensive line has to complement that. That is where Barcelona are f...