FC Barcelona's excellent track record of bouncing back after defeat

Barça’s ability to react will be tested this Saturday when they visit the Spanish capital. After a difficult defeat in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey against Madrid, the team needs to bounce back at the always difficult Santiago Bernabéu. This Wednesday’s was the team’s fifth defeat of the season. The previous four were all followed by victories.

Four decisive responses

- The first defeat of the year was in the Spanish Super Cup away to Real Madrid (2-1), on August 29. Despite the effort put in by playing an hour and a half with 10 men and dealing with the disappointment of losing the title, four days later Tito Vilanova’s men defeated Valencia on Week 3 of La Liga (1-0).

- The second defeat of the season came on November 7, in the Champions League, in Celtic Park (2-1). Barça bounced back to fire four goals past Mallorca in their following match (2-4).

- The first defeat in the league happened on January 19 at the Anoeta, on Week 20 of the competition (3-2). In the following match, Barça defeated Málaga in the return leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals (2-4). The Blaugrana had to win at La Rosaleda due to the 2-2 from the away leg.

- The most recent defeat before this Wednesday’s Clásico happened last week, in the round of 16 of the Champions League, at Milan (2-0). It was a painful loss, similar to the one in the Cup. However, the team battled back for a come-from-behind victory over Sevilla in their following match (Week 25 of La Liga, 2-1).