2023-12-16 23:56:33
BarcelonaBarça can’t get away with it. When he plays badly, he loses and when he improves, he scores. In Mestalla, with the inquisitive gaze of everyone to see if Xavi managed to improve the performance of his players, Barça could not get past the draw (1-1). Bad result for a game where the game improved, especially in attack. But this is a clay-footed giant, who can be hurt a lot easily, with four hits. When we have just 17 league games, he has already conceded the same goals as during the entire previous season. A sluggish Valencia, which is content to stay in the First Division, ended up celebrating a draw with the aftertaste of victory, which in the case of Barça had the flavor of defeat. Girona and Madrid can continue to escape, while from behind, in the classification, Athletic and Real Sociedad are getting closer.
It’s been too long since watching Barça means suffering. When he wins, however, it’s always by the minimum. When he loses, he looks like a broken toy. Sometimes their matches are nasty, like licking sandpaper. In the second half, the team attacked with danger, an improvement that, without being anything otherworldly, seemed as if an orchestra of archangels came out of heaven playing heavenly music. But it was necessary to win, and it was tied. The lack of aim is alarming, one more reason to make Xavi suffer.
After the collapse of Girona and the events in Antwerp, after seeing how Xavi tried to defend that Barça is an oil stain and that he should be congratulated for the milestones achieved, the game in Valencia looked like a job interview. A special date where you can breathe the tension, because you can’t fail, like the day the parents of the person you love introduce you. A brave Barça was expected, with wounded pride. But after two minutes, Iñaki Peña avoided Valencia’s first goal. If starting distracted games is a superstition, it’s not funny; already after conceding a goal after two minutes of play against Granada, Alabès and Antwerp, being one step away from suffering it again in Mestalla seemed like a hair’s breadth.
But Iñaki Peña was quick. And Xavi breathed a little as he saw how his team improved a lot compared to Belgium, and a little remembering the Girona game. In defense, the team squeaks. The teams arrive with a red carpet to the front, where luckily Araujo and Kounde were quick enough. In attack, Barça knew how to bite, making Lewandowski feel accompanied. The Pole received a lot of balls inside the area, but he has lost his magic. Like a superhero who has been shown kryptonite, like a Samson whose hair has been cut. He had five, failed them all. And at numbers 9, they are judged by goals.
In the market, Joan Laporta was sputtering. On the bench, Xavi was sputtering. On the pitch, Lewandowski three quarters of the same. The improvement in the first half was not enough, as it was necessary to pocket the three points and, especially, to improve the sensations. If you win, but your fans have lost two years of their lives in front of the TV, it’s no use. Much more is expected of this Barça, it is expected that it resembles what Xavi is talking about, more optimistic in his speech than in the gestures on the sideline.
Against one of the loosest Valencia sides in years, Barça at times indulged in vertical play, relying on having more power when hitting. But neither Raphinha nor João Félix were right. And when Gündogan slipped inside the area, he was also not successful. But after the break, Barça did get serious, and managed to play with only one goal, the one defended by Mamardashvili. As if it was impossible for everyone to play well, Lewandowski disappeared in the second, but Raphinha and João Félix, creators of the 0-1 move, the work of the Portuguese, with the collaboration of a De Jong with great arrival The Dutchman’s second half was delightful, showing leadership and talent.
The goal was the result of good play and Barça made a good read, looking for the second, which seemed to be a matter of minutes. But when things don’t work out, nothing happens. And in defence, Barça is still unstable, allowing a lot of yellow-clad footballers to fail to clear the ball in one isolated play. And Hugo Guillamón took advantage of it to equalize with a beautiful shot. It wasn’t fair, but in football justice doesn’t usually come into play. If losing by playing badly hurts, letting yourself draw when you play well makes you angry. Injured, Barça tried again and again, with no aim, no luck, despite the improvement in Raphinha’s game and Lamine Yamal’s few minutes, just 10. The sour apples faces continue. Triumphs don’t come and scoring goals costs more than moving mountains. And Xavi continues to sleep restlessly.
Valencia: Mamardashvili, Correia, Mosquera, Diakhaby, Jesús Vázquez (Yarek Gasiorowski, 80′), Fran Pérez (Amallah, 71′), Hugo Guillamón, Pepelu, Diego López (Foulquier, 80′), Yaremtxuk (Sergi Canós, 61′ ), Hugo Duro (Marí, 80′). FC Barcelona: Iñaki Peña, João Cancelo, Kounde, Araujo, Balde, Gündogan (Lamine Yamal, 80′), De Jong, Pedri, Raphinha, Lewandowski and João Félix (Ferran Torres, 72′). Goals: 0-1 João Félix (55′), 1-1 Hugo Guillamón (70′). Referee: Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias (Madrid Committee). Yellow cards: Fran Pérez (65′), De Jong (76′), Cancelo (79′). Red cards: None. Stadium: Mestalla (46,492 spectators).
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