2023-09-23 20:29:47
BarcelonaThis Barça has a star. He falls from a third floor and falls straight. If recently he played well and scored goals, today he signed a very bad performance to end up with an unexpected victory. A triumph with anger, with heart and courage. A victory to make up a game that surely deserved to lose. An end to dream of and to overcome the nightmare that the team has lived through for a large part of the match. Before that, Barça had received two setbacks that made them touch the ground. They made him react at the end, when all seemed lost. If a few days ago the goals were pouring out of Barça’s pockets, today they only reached the end, when the team, turned into a wounded animal, took the triumph in the least expected way, with three goals in the last 10 minutes (3-2). This Barça has a star that looks after it, it is hungry and it has players that do not want to lose. This Barça terrifies the enemies. And nothing is scarier than a team that wins when it falls in love, and also when it’s ugly.
And see that Rafa Benítez punctured the balloon that Barça had inflated in a few days with some ease for much of the game. 80 minutes, specifically. What a one, Benítez! As he erected defensive walls, Lamine Yamal was still crawling. It seemed for a moment like a trip to the past, with Barça forced to attack again against a Rafa Benítez rival. Those who have memories remembered their Valencia, their Liverpool… and now they will remember their Celta, capable of causing a loss of digestion to a Barça that arrived at Lluís Companys with a grin from ear to ear but who had to suffer bravely to touch the sky. These triumphs are enjoyed more, although Xavi cannot be happy. In no way has he played well, his team. The coach from Valais, just renewed, has work to do to improve the approach in games against defensive rivals. The fans have a new story to tell, that of the day that Barça, for the first time in a century, lifted a game in the League that they were losing 0-2 after 80 minutes.
With Betis and Antwerp, Barça had a big party against rivals who took risks, who left spaces. Celta is not like that. It was necessary to see how the Barça of the Joãos did against a hard bone to gnaw on. The response has been worrying. If necessary, Celta modified their 5-3-2 into two five-man defensive lines, as if it were a military tactic of those armies of other times led by generals in plumed hats. The Galicians were very clear about what to do when they got the ball back: get sick of running. The worst thing for Barça was not getting hurt in the head from hitting the visiting wall, the worst thing was that Celta had the best chances on the counter. Lucky to have Ter Stegen and lucky that Iago Aspas, the great visiting star – strange thing – has lost his aim. The first half ended with Barça disoriented, behind on the scoreboard by a goal. It could have been more than one, as Celta have always teased Oriol Romeu and De Jong to launch attacks. The Dutchman, to make matters worse, was injured and had to give up his place to a hyper-revolutionary Gavi.
Xavi had changed few things, initially. It was not a question of clipping the wings of the Joãos, now that Barcelona fans have fallen in love with them. Of course, he has stretched the ears of a somewhat fickle Balde, leaving him on the bench. Marcos Alonso has entered in his place, in a bet that has made waves. In fact, Marcos has not returned to the field of play after the break, as happened to Romeo. Celta, without having to commit fouls, managed to cover the spaces in the middle, where Gündogan was too suffocated, and on the wings. Frustrated, Lewandowski gradually left the area, and tried to remind his teammates that he was playing. Things didn’t work out for him. Partly because of what he was doing. In part, because of the Barça collective wreck. For a good part of the match it did not seem that the Pole would be one of the names of the night.
A surprising ending
After being hit again and again in the back, at half-time Xavi changed to a line of five. It didn’t last very long, since it didn’t work either. Lamine Yamal tried with some individual attacks, but also ended up with his feet caught in the defensive net of a Celtic who was warning. He was forgiving, on the contrary. Barça knew it. He was playing with fire. Frustrated and nervous, the Blaugrana team was only able to stay on its feet thanks to the brace of Araujo, who has returned to the team to lead the defense and try some long shots. More heart than head. It was not the day of the Shark, today without teeth. Ferran, in fact, ended up being replaced by Raphinha. Xavi has been burning ships, but all seemed lost when in one against Aspas, who was not scoring goals, he gifted an assist to Douvikas. The 0 to 2 has frozen an Olympic where only the screams of the Galicians could be heard. And those of the hundreds of Catalans with Galician blood, of course.
Barça, injured, decided to go down with their heads held high and João Felix, although he was not on the day, invented a beautiful assist for Lewandowski. A beautiful goal that changed everything. Players who didn’t have the day until then, have changed. A metamorphosis in 10 seconds that has taken Celta by surprise. The same team that ran without a leader for 80 minutes has become strong. And the two Joãos, who were not having a comfortable match, have been plugged. The Pole scored the second thanks to an assist from Cancelo. And the Portuguese himself, aggressive and with a thousand lives, has signed a comeback that no one expected with a beautiful last goal, where he finished off a good cross from Gavi. Look, Cancelo’s game had been bad, until then. And it ended up causing a sweet frenzy throughout the stadium. This Barça wants to eat the world. And if they poke him, he reacts. Good sign, he’s very much alive. He has a lot to say.
FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen, João Cancelo, Christensen (Balde, 60′), Kounde, Marcos Alonso (Araujo, 46), Oriol Romeu (Lamine Yamal, 46′), De Jong (Gavi, 46′), Gündogan, Ferran Torres (Raphinha, 72′), Lewandowski and João Felix. Celta de Vigo: Ivan Villar, Mingueza, Unai Núñez (Miguel Gutiérrez, 94′), Starfelt, Domínguez, Ristic, Jonathan Bamba (Dotor, 94′), Fran Beltran, Luca de la Torre, Iago Aspas (Swedberg, 78′) and Strand Larsen (Douvikas, 66′). Goals: 0-1 Strand Larsen (19′), 0-2 Douvikas (76′), 1-2 Lewandowski (81′), 2-2 Lewandowski (87′) and 3-2 Cancelo (88′). Referee: Mario Melero López (Andalus College). Yellow cards: Christensen (36′), Gavi (39′) and Unai Núñez (43′). Red cards: None. Stadium: Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, 43,272 spectators.
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