With 30 minutes left on the clock, Ousmane Dembele made his entrance in Sunday's fixture with Getafe. After a month's absence in recovery, it would appear that the winger was not up to the competitive rhythm of the game.
From his first touch to his last, Dembélé let down his fans. As if he had forgotten his studs, he started by slipping up, and it all went tumbling downhill from there.
He was remarkably slow and didn't challenge Vitorino Antunes. The defender actually beat Dembele to the ball three times in a row - principally due to the Frenchman's poor efforts.
His dribbling was predictable and his touch was erratic. Victim of memes on social network sites, his only achievement in the game was winning a free-kick that Lionel Messi would send over the bar.
In added time, when his side were looking for a last gasp winner, Dembele found himself with the opportunity to play through Sergi Roberto on the wing - the strength of his pass was badly judged and the ball went over the touchline. A great chance spoiled.
Dembele's only saving grace was that, despite his mistakes, he was persistent in his attempts to cause damage. Manager Valverde, spotted taking his anger out on the bench, was clearly not so patient with the winger on what would prove to be a frustrating afternoon for his team.
February 11, 2018
Barcelona would go on to draw 0-0 with Getafe in a lacklustre game at the Camp Nou, although it has no bearing on the league as 'Los Cules' still maintain a comfortable cushion at the top of La Liga.