Liga, Barcelona-Celta 1-0: Pedri scores, but what a pain

A two-faced Barça makes full loot despite a free diving recovery. To regulate Celta and return to the top of the Liga arm in arm with Real Madrid just a flash of Pedri after just over a quarter of an hour. Xavi’s team starts strong, but accuses problems of keeping the distance and, to bring home the 1-0, they also need 45 ‘of sacrifice and thrills on the overwhelming return of the Galicians. The Blaugrana coach, in any case, gambles and shuffles the cards a few days before the fundamental Champions League match against Inter and a week from Clasico.

Experiments

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In fact, Xavi is chasing the seventh consecutive victory in the league with a completely new formation. Without six pawns and short of center-backs, the Blaugrana coach places Marcos Alonso in the center of the defense next to Piqué, with Baldé on the right and Jordi Alba on the left. De Jong sees himself again, but he starts from the bench (and will only play the final half hour), while in front of Lewa, Raphinha and Ferran Torres space for a Barça probably very different from the one that will face Inter on Wednesday. In the first 45 ‘there is not even need to experience the resistance of the defense, because the attitude and rhythm imposed by the midfield trio immediately put the Galicians on the ropes. The snatches of Ferran Torres and Raphinha easily split the opposing defense and in the first 25 ‘the Catalans built the beauty of five clear chances: on two Marchesin showed himself off, denying the goal to Raphinha and Lewa, but in the 17’ he went to good end of the thrust of Gavi, who – thanks to an unfortunate deflection of Unai – gives Pedri the ball of the advantage.

OARS IN… BOAT

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The impetus of the Catalans stops only at half an hour, when Celta tries to shyly look out from the parts of Ter Stegen. But the geometries of the midfield trio – in which Gavi and Pedri shine – combined with the constant high pressure allow Barça to keep the game firmly in hand. This until the return to the field, because Coudet’s tricks in the interval return a more enterprising Celta with a higher center of gravity. Taken in speed and put under pressure, the Catalan defense begins to skid dangerously and in the 56th minute it takes a providential intervention by Piqué with a dead body to stop Oscar’s right-footed shot from a few paces. It is only the beginning of a long ordeal for the Catalans. In fact, about fifteen minutes later it was good luck to save the Blaugrana, pardoned by a millimeter offside by Galan which nullified Larsen’s equalizer. The suffering of the Catalans continues even after Xavi’s changes, so much so that Ter Stegen has to take the chair in the 83rd minute to stop a powerful attempt by Aspas. In the final, including six minutes of injury time, Barça keeps up with the last reserves of energy and brings home a success (also) of good luck. Against Inter we will need a completely different look and a completely different Lewandowski, even tonight in the shade and not very participatory.