Barça does not stop deducting points in the opposite field while Madrid spends miles with Bellingham. The difference is already three on the way to the classic on the 28th in Montjuïc. The Blaugranas couldn’t beat Granada either after drawing in Mallorca and Getafe. Neither collectively nor individually did they make a difference in a match starring Bryan Zaragoza. The Malaga winger had more weight, echo and goal than Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona player couldn’t even finish the Los Cármenes match. Muscle injuries tear apart an invertebrate and soft team, so inconsistent that it cannot withstand opponents who occupy the lower middle part of the League.
2
André Ferreira, Ricard Sánchez (Jesús Vallejo, min. 84), Álvaro Fernández, Miquel, Carlos Neva, Miguel Rubio, Myrto Uzuni (Puertas, min. 58), Bryan Zaragoza, Gonzalo Villar (Njegos Petrovic, min. 58), Gumbau and Lucas Boyé (Callejón, min. 73)
2
Ter Stegen, Cancelo, A. Christensen, Koundé (Ronald Araújo, min. 44), Alex Balde, Gündogan, Fermín López, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Ferrán Torres and João Félix
Goals 1-0 min. 0: Bryan Zaragoza. 2-0 min. 28: Bryan Zaragoza. 2-1 min. 46: Lamine Yamal. 2-2 min. 85: Sergi Roberto.
Referee César Soto Grado
Yellow cards Bryan Zaragoza (min. 65), Miguel Rubio (min. 67), Jesús Vallejo (min. 85), Sergio Ruiz (min. 90), López (min. 91) and Cancelo (min. 97)
The Blaugrana served from the center twice in 18 seconds, once to start the game and the second after Bryan Zaragoza’s goal, who crossed the ball assisted by Lucas Boyé. The pressure and speed of Granada contrasted with the calm of the pusillanimous Barça. Christensen was not fine in getting the ball out, Gavi lost it, Gündogan did not put his foot and Bryan shot towards Ter Stegen. The teams have learned to attack the Barcelona defense with two forwards and the opportunities occur in the different games, also in Granada.
The Barcelona fans do not correct themselves but rather get used to the scenario, willing to exchange blows, confident in their attacking play, even when Lewandowski is missing due to injury. So the game lasted another half hour with the ball at the Barça’s feet until Bryan Zaragoza reappeared to score a second historic goal due to the exquisite definition and elimination of Koundé. The Malaga striker knocked out the French centre-back twice, who was petrified, later replaced (injured) by Araujo.
The play was admirable for the dribbles and changes of pace, also for the speed and stillness of Bryan, also outstanding in the shot after stopping to beat Ter Stegen. The striker’s effectiveness compensated for the supportive defense of his teammates arranged by Paco López. The Blaugrana were unable to finish off their possession and association football and chances often ended in corners until Lamine Yamal appeared.
The winger was passing through the area and found himself with a poorly kicked ball after a foreshortened shot by João Félix to become the youngest scorer in the League at 16 years old. Yamal’s imbalance was as noticeable as Barça’s imbalance. The football flowed offensively and on the other hand gave way defensively, too exposed and penalized by the permeability of the midfielders and the departures of their thriving full-backs João Cancelo and Balde. The team, after all, has not stopped mulling over the figure of the central midfielder since Busquets left.
Sometimes it feels like he needs two players to replace the player who went to Inter Miami. The injury to De Jong, who at times mixed well with Oriol Romeu, has further increased Xavi’s speculations. The Catalan footballer also ended up losing his place without the Dutchman’s company and the coach chose to entrust the management to Gündogan. Romeu left the team and Fermín entered to form as an interior player with Gavi. The prominence of the youth team extended to the defense with Balde and the forward with Lamine Yamal.
Yamal, injured
Granada, however, defended Yamal better than Barcelona defended Bryan Zaragoza. The opportunities for López’s team were as scarce as they were clear in the expectation of Los Cármenes. The penultimate team in the League fought with greatness against a champion that was dilapidated due to injuries and the sterility of its forwards, very redundant in passing and not very good in shooting against Ferreira. The fans were also inflamed by the referee’s decisions – Negreira’s chant sounded repeatedly – and Barcelona football slowed down little by little, apparently resigned with the 2-1 score.
The wheel of changes turned more in favor of Granada than Barça. The Blaugrana lost game and energy and were left without Yamal. The winger left with discomfort and Xavi brought on Oriol Romeu because he did not have any forwards other than the reserve striker (Pau Víctor) and the youth striker (Marc Guiu). Based on Araujo’s courage, Barça regained their spirit and demanded more from Ferreira. The goalkeeper responded very well to each shot until he could only deflect a cross from Balde and the ball was at Sergi Roberto’s feet: 2-2.
The post later prevented Bryan from scoring a hat trick and the referee annulled a goal by João Félix due to Ferran’s positional offside in a frenetic and chaotic end to the match that supported Granada’s proposal more than that of the uncontrolled and broken Barça.
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