Football Soccer - Deportivo v Barcelona - Spanish La Liga Santander - Riazor stadium, A Coruna, Spain, 12/03/17 Barcelona's Lionel Messi reacts during the match. REUTERS/Miguel Vidal
(Reuters) - - As Barcelona stumbled to a 2-1 defeat by Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday, many put their struggles down to the absence of Neymar. But the hole left at the back by the missing Samuel Umtiti was just as telling.
Brazilian forward Neymar, inspirational in Wednesday's stunning 6-1 Champions League win over Paris St Germain, was unavailable in Galicia with a thigh injury, leaving the team lacking inspiration in attack.
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