✍️ Summary of the game:
Barcelona deserved much better tonight, the 3 points were absolutely deserved.
In the first half, the Catalans created a few clear-cut chances, mostly through Ansu Fati. In one episode, the youngster fluffed a one-on-one and when he did score, it was ruled out by VAR. As for Valencia, they didn't create anything in the opening 45 minutes.
Los Che, however, were far more dangerous after the break. They scored a goal but this time, VAR bailed Barca out.
It's not to say Barca were poor after the break. Xavi's men kept controlling possession to create chances. Fati missed a half-chance, Ferran missed an open goal, a number of players were too shy to shoot from good positions.
Fortunately, Lewandowski was clutch again, scoring a goal in the additional time. The Polish striker converted a nice lobbed pass from Raphinha, giving Barca the 3 points.
⏰ Full time!
⏱️ 90+6: The player of the two teams clash after Foulquier pushes Lewandowski,
UNIVERSO_1899: "Without Lewandowski we would've been much lower in La Liga. Don't know if we would've even made the Champions League spots. It's him against everyone."
⚽ 90+3: GOAL! LEWANDOWSKI SCORES AFTER A BRILLIANT LOBBED PASS FROM RAPHINHA!
⏱️ 85-90+2: Gavi goes down inside the box but it looks like there was no foul there.
Serena121212121 (Reddit): "There is no way Xavi can get anything even remotely valuable out of this set of players."
CourageFCB (Twitter): "These players are gonna get Xavi sacked. HOW THE FUCK DID FERRAN MISS THAT GOAL?! AND RAPHINHA SKIES THE REBOUND AFTER THAT?!?! LIKE WTF?!?!"
🟨 Pique booked
🟨 Gavi booked
LaLigaMichael (Twitter): "Barcelona not scoring against a superior Bayern makes sense, especially after getting knocked out minutes earlier. Not scoring against this Valencia side is more concerning for Xavi. They still look deflated."
⏱️ 76-85': Valencia win a corner kick but send it too high. Barca's passing becomes sloppy and Valencia now with more possession. Lewandowski gets the ball inside the area but can't get a proper shot on goal. Open goal miss from Ferran Torres as he hits his own foot with the ball.
everythingaboutmusic (Reddit): "Wingers aren’t good, cbs are injured, fullbacks need work as well it’s hard to be confident in this team."
nov_jasya (Twitter): "A goal from Iliax in the 93rd is the logical conclusion of this game. We're lucky he can't play tonight."
🔁 Sub: Pique in / Kounde out
⏱️ 66-75': Ferran nearly finds Raphinha free with an empty net but the Valencia defender intervenes. Pedri finds Gavi inside the box but the latter turns too slowly. Lino on the counter but it's easily saved by MAtS. Kounde appears to have suffered an injury and is taken off.
LaLigaenDirecto (Twitter): "What a class player Pedri Gonzalez is. Makes the impossible look easy. One of the most important players in this Barcelona."
daanluc (Reddit): "We really have no offensive plan. Don’t really know what Xavi trains with them."
⏱️ 56-65': Raphinha on the counter but his pass inside is blocked by the defender. Gavi attempts a cross after a long ball from the back, blocked again. Ferran enters the area but his shot takes a deflection and is easily saved by the keeper.
10InfoBlaugrana (Twitter): "I won't understand it if Balde doesn't go to the World Cup. Better than Jordi Alba and Gaya by a mile, no doubt."
Feeltherbern2020 (Reddit): "Honestly the lack of linkup play in the final third is depressing. Madrid's linkup play blows ours out of the water rn and it should never be that way."
🔄 Subs: Raphinha, Gavi, Ferran in / Dembele, Busquets, Fati out
⏱️ 46-55': Fati's attempt from the edge of the box is blocked. Lino opens the score after a long ball into the box but VAR overturns it due to handball on Marcos Andre.
Milad731 (Reddit): "We are so lucky he decided to raise his hand (which was so unnecessary)."
BadBarcaOpinion (Twitter): "Such a great first half! Very refreshing! Pedri is running the show. It’s extremely fun seeing the way we always find the free man. If Fati & Dembele had more rhythm today, we would have created even more."
⏰ Second half, here we go!
📝 Here are our half-time ratings:
Impressed: Pedri 8, Kounde 7.5
Solid: Lewandowski 7, Fati 7, Ter Stegen 7, De Jong 7, Balde 6.5, Alba 6.5,
Poor: Dembele 5, Garcia 5, Busquets 4
N/A: Alonso
✍️ Brief summary of the game so far:
Barcelona have been head and shoulders above Valencia so far, creating several chances and barely allowing the opponent any. However, the Catalans' wastefulness up front meant that the half ended in a goalless draw.
Fati came close to scoring early on after a through ball from Pedri but he could not chip Mamardashvili. Dembele and Pedri failed to give Barca the lead despite finding pockets of space to shoot from.
The closest Xavi's men came to scoring was late in the first half, with Lewandowski's header hitting the post following a cross from Alba.
Valencia, on the other hand, didn't have any clear-cut chances. Kounde did well to intercept a through ball to Folquier. Gabriel's header could've posed danger but he misses the target.
⏰ Half time!
⏱️ 41-45': Kounde makes a sliding tackle to stop a dangerous Valencia attack. De Jong with another shot, this time it is blocked by the defender. Lewa's header hits the post after a cross from Alba. Valencia get a corner and Gabriel's header misses the target.
marcelobechler (Twitter): "Barcelona does one thing very well, which is to attract Valencia to their field and play in the back of the defence. But their wingers lack momentum. Without confidence, they lose all 1v1 balls and waste attacks."
🟨 Alonso booked
🔄 Sub: Alonso replaces injured Eric Garcia
⏱️ 31-40': Long ball towards Kluivert but Ter Stegen comes out to intercept it. Busquets gets nutmegged for the second time so far. Ter Stegen sends Fati through with a long ball but his cross is intercepted. Kounde's header goes over the bar.
akagaminick (Reddit): "I feel for Lewy, Kounde and MaTS. They play so good while others are just passengers."
GreekCule (Twitter): "Busquets hasn't been great these past few season but this one... is a nightmare."
⏱️ 21-30': Ansu scores but it is ruled out for offside. Dembele gets the ball inside the area but can't beat the defender with a fake shot. Frenkie's long shot misses the target. Fati's header is too weak and too wide. Ansu again misses the target with a left-footed shot.
NealGardner_ (Twitter): "Looks like bad Dembélé’s turned up today… (subject to drastic change)."
Rhanos (Reddit): "Eric is definitely getting a red tonight the way he's playing."
🟨 Eric Garcia booked
⏱️ 11-20': Fati gets one-on-one with the keeper but can't chip him, Pedri with a great through ball. Cavani is taken off after suffering a knock. Lewandowski finds Dembele on the counter but the Frenchman can't beat his man again.
Kharlerh (Twitter): "What's Up Fati? Soler scored something similar."
TheFootballInd (Twitter): "With Ansu you at least get a runner behind the lines and in front of goal. Pedri also playing in his preferred position, finally."
⏱️ 1-10': Lino shots on target but Ter Stgen catches it. Pedri intercepts the ball high up but Fati's follow-up shot is blocked. Dembele sprints forward but can't pick a teammate with his pass.
norwegianmorningw00d (Reddit): "Fati always cuts it to the right but ends up running out of legs to do anything else and ends up losing possession. Pay attention, that happens every game at least once."
xscientist (Reddit): "Massively important points today, we need this. RM play Girona tomorrow which will be a blowout."
⏰ Kick-off!
👉 Starting XI reminder
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Balde, Kounde, Garcia, Alba; Busquets, De Jong, Pedri; Dembele, Lewandowski, Fati.
Valencia XI: Mamardashvili; Correia, Gabriel, Comert, Gaya; Foulquier, Guillamon, Almeida; Kluivert, Cavani, Lino.
Latest news
