Photo: Alejandro Garcia / EFE
The Barcelona continues in ascending line and stays in Champions League positions at thrash this Sunday at the Camp Nou against Athletic Club (4-0), thanks to the goals from aubameyangDembélé, Luuk de Jong and Memphis, who played the last minutes after reappearing from his injury.
The azulgrana team chained their third match scoring four goals, and this time he also did it without conceding, something he had only achieved once in the last ten duels. While the team from Biscay, with their minds set on the Copa del Rey, wasted a good opportunity to get closer to the Europa League positions.
Marcelino introduced seven novelties in the eleven that last day thrashed Real Sociedad in the Basque derby, and left important players such as the Williams brothers, Íñigo Martínez or Muniain on the bench, thinking about next Wednesday’s duel at Mestalla, where the Basques play the pass to the cup final.
Too many concessions for this Barça, which Xavi’s hand seems to be an increasingly recognizable teamapplied in high pressure, increasingly dynamic and precise in the game of possession and with an offensive trident that seems already consolidated as the one formed by adama, Ferran Torres and aubameyang.
The Gabonesewhat He has five goals in the last three gameswas in charge of opening the can in the 37th minute, volleying a ball that was rejected by the crossbar after a header from Piqué in a corner kick.
It is the new figure of Xavi’s Barcelona.
The 1-0 made up for the merits of the Barça team in the siege, although with few chances, to Unai Simón’s goal, which only had to be used to the full in a shot from a difficult angle by Ferran Torres.
Before, Zarraga had taken another header from Piqué on the goal line and Gavi sent to the amphitheater, from the penalty spot, an assist from Ferran after receiving a precise filtered pass from Pedri.
The Canarian has emerged as the boss of the engine room in recent games and tonight he once again gave a recital on how to play between the lines that raised gasps of astonishment and applause from the Camp Nou.
Marcelino moved the bench at the break giving entry to Íñigo Martínez for Yeray and Sancet for Raúl García. And Barça, perhaps because of the effort made three days before in Naples, had a hard time finding the rhythm after the restart.
The Dembele’s entrance and Nico Williams once again livened up the clash, especially that of Barça’s French winger, whistled on the first ball he touched and applauded on the second, when he outlined himself from the right profile to change the ball from his leg before sending a missile with the left foot that surprised Unai.
El Mosquito celebrated his bite by going to the bench to celebrate with the whole team, and then he did it with Xavi, who has not tired of defending his professionalism despite refusing to renew with the club.
Dembélé rounded off his performance by giving away two goals from the left in the final stretch. The first, to Luuk de Jong, after Pedri’s umpteenth prank, and the second, to a recently entered Memphis.
Athletic, on the other hand, could only score in the second half in a half-turn shot from the edge of Nico Williams that was saved by Ter Stegen.
Data sheet:
4 – Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Dani Alves, Araujo, Pique, Dest; Sergio Busquets (Nico, min. 86), Pedri, Gavi (Frenkie de Jong, min. 67); Adama (Memphis, min.81), Ferran Torres (Dembélé, min.67) and Aubameyang (Luuk de Jong, min.86).
0 – Athletic Club: Unai Simón; Lekue, Vivian, Yeray (Íñigo Martínez, min. 46), Balenziaga; Zarraga (Nico Williams, min. 67), Winner, Vesga (Dani García, min. 67), Serrano; Raúl García (Sancet, min.46) and Villalibre (Iñaki Williams, min.77).
Goals: 1-0: Aubameyang, min.37. 2-0: Dembélé, min.73. 3-0: Luuk de Jong, min.90.
Referee: Cuadra Fernández (Balearic Islands Committee). He showed a yellow card to Sergio Busquets (min.48), Balenziaga (min.54) and Piqué (min.70).
Incidents: LaLiga Santander matchday 26 match played at the Camp Nou in front of 69,770 spectators. Before the match, both teams posed with the slogan ‘Stop war’ to call for an end to the war that Russia has declared against Ukraine. EFE
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Source-eldiariony.com