Somehow, Barcelona got away with it in the end. The Catalans beat Slavia Prague 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but there was anger among the players after a serious scare in the Czech capital. When Lionel Messi fired Barca into the lead inside three minutes, there was no sign of what was to come. But without that early goal, Ernesto Valverde's side might have endured a nightmare at Sinobo Stadium.
As it was, Slavia went on to have the better chances in the remainder of the first half, equalised early in the second and after an own goal forced by Luis Suarez, the Czech champions came close to a leveller in added time.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen made two spectacular saves to deny the home side in the first half and ended up as the hero again, just as he was in Barca's 0-0 draw away to Borussia Dortmund in their first Champions League game in 2019-20.
The German goalkeeper was not happy afterwards as he spoke frankly in a television interview. Asked if he was angry, he said: "It's normal. We didn't play as we wanted to.
"Luckily we got the three points, which was the most important thing.
"But we have to talk about some things." And he added: "It's an internal thing. I don't want to talk about it here. I want to speak to those who were on the pitch."
Midfielder Frenkie de Jong, disappointing along with most of his team-mates in Prague, also gave an honest assessment as he spoke to Barca TV after the game.
"I think we were a bit lucky today," he said. "They were good and we weren't. Especially not on the ball. It wasn't our best game.
"In the end, we won an away game in the Champions League, so we're happy about that."
Not especially happy, though. There were long faces as the final whistle sounded and none of the Barca players spoke to the media in the mixed zone. The unofficial reason given by the club? "The dressing room is angry."
Valverde did speak to the media. "It was an avalanche," he said of Slavia's pressing. "They were like wolves." And he conceded: "Sometimes you have to get down [and play] in the mud."
Those are not really the words Barca fans will have wanted to hear and the fact is the Blaugrana are still struggling away from home in Europe.
Has there been any improvement since last season's dramatic loss at Anfield? Not on this evidence.
The same question marks remain. A lack of control in midfield, a slow back line and problems in attack where a stagnant Suarez is more of a hindrance than a help - especially away from home.
Barca remain reliant upon Messi and Ter Stegen, as much as ever before, and the Catalans will not win the Champions League playing like this.
Ter Stegen is right, he and his team-mates have to talk. And Valverde needs to be there to listen.
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