FC Barcelona's goal drought continues in a goalless draw against Galatasaray

Catalan giants fail to score for the first time this season in a disappointing stalemate

Barcelona's struggles in front of goal continued on Thursday night as they were held to a goalless draw by Galatasaray in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.

The result leaves Barca with an uphill task in the second leg at Camp Nou next week, as they will need to score at least once to avoid elimination from the competition.

Barca dominated possession and created a number of chances in Istanbul, but they were unable to find a way past Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

The best chance of the game fell to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the first half, but the Gabon striker headed wide from close range.

Barca also had a penalty appeal turned down in the second half after Jordi Alba was bundled over in the box.

The draw extends Barca's winless run to three games in all competitions.

What does the result mean for Barcelona?

The result leaves Barca with an uphill task in the second leg at Camp Nou next week.

They will need to score at least once to avoid elimination from the competition.

It also means that Barca have now failed to score in two of their last three games in all competitions.

What went wrong for Barcelona?

There were a number of factors that contributed to Barca's failure to score against Galatasaray.

Firstly, they were wasteful in front of goal.

Secondly, Galatasaray defended resolutely and made it difficult for Barca to create clear-cut chances.

Finally, Barca were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty in the second half.

What can Barcelona do to improve in the second leg?

There are a number of things that Barcelona can do to improve their chances of winning the second leg against Galatasaray.

Firstly, they need to be more clinical in front of goal.

Secondly, they need to find a way to break down Galatasaray's defence.

Finally, they need to be more patient and not force the issue.

Conclusion

Barcelona's goalless draw against Galatasaray was a disappointing result, but it is not the end of the world.

The Catalan giants still have a chance to win the second leg at Camp Nou next week and progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

However, they will need to improve their performance significantly if they want to do so.