The Lewandowski thorn was removed from last year’s disgust in El Sadar. He scored the decisive game-winning goal. He celebrated it profusely. For the value of the goal, five minutes from the regulatory theoretical end (they were ten added), and after Chimy Ávila would have tiedand for the black memory that haunted him while he lived through another thick night and in which he saw a yellow card that threatened to repeat the bitter outcome of the last League.
The duel ended with the same result (1-2), but with Lewandowski on the field to save the setback that was going to take Barça five points away from the leadership just born in September. The champion survived from set pieces because he did not reach him with football despite the fact that he already enjoyed the three signings registered on Friday. In addition to João Cancelo and João Félix, Iñigo Martínez also made his debut.
Lewandowski makes up for the black memory of the previous year the night the Joãos and Iñigo made their debut.
More than 150 corners later
Koudé had scored after heading in a corner. After more than 150 shots, he once again took advantage of a corner kick for Barça. Since January, with Marcos’ goal against Espanyol, He did not take advantage of the strategy in the League. The last penalty that Barça took was in March and Ferran missed it.
The success came at the right time to take the loot from El Sadar, always valuable and always fought for. It was difficult for Barça to subdue Osasuna’s second unit. It was not the starting eleven that received the champion; It was not the big game of the week for the Navarrese. It was the one against Bruges on Thursday and the feat of coming back from 1-2 in the first leg was frustrated in two minutes when the Belgians equalized at 2-2. Osasuna returned hurt and bruised from the Europa League. Only Catena and Juan Cruz held out in the lineup.
Shot at the post in the first minute
It was to be expected, however, that Barça would have to sweat to take the three points no matter how much they presented the best eleven, with Lamine Yamal ahead of Raphinha. The difference was only noticeable in the first minute, when Xavi’s men managed to string together a long sequence of passes from the kick-off that ended with a shot from De Jong to the post. Not even with Koundé’s goal was it possible to notice any concession in the locals on the brink of half-time. A treasure seen the drift that drew the meeting.
Osasuna presented an alignment of substitutes; the starters played in Bruges, the big game for them.
The victory in Pamplona is paid dearly, whoever plays as rojillo plays, as if the intensity of the garnet would impregnate any boot-turner with a claw (which is not the case) and make it competitive. Barça played in pale green, which suggests that his best qualities are not derived from passion. It will be coldness, intelligence and technique, essential qualities to tackle rivals like Osasuna, who withdraw instantly when the pressure to steal the ball does not prosper.
Neither dynamism nor speed
Again Barça played in someone else’s half of the field and again Barça was obtuse to displace the rival with a certain dynamism. There was a lack of mobility between the players who were in front of the ball, all looking at the holder, concerned with each maintaining his position and not with creating space by moving and moving their pair.
Comparatively, there was greater speed in the maroon rows and greater determination to finish the plays. Although the shot hit a greenish body. They tried every time. Hence Ter Stegen intervened before Aitor and deflected two shots, Oroz’s second, spectacularly.
Card to the second
Still there Ter Stegen striving to maintain zero, but Lewandowski has disappeared in a field of bad memories. Absent in the game, he was reliving last year’s nightmare and saw a card the second time he stuck his arms out to protect the ball.
Ibáñez was lying in the area for a while so that the referees looked for a foul by Koundé.
They already know him and all the defenses are waiting to be able to get a foul from him; a strange case that of the Pole, who hits more than receives, when it is the strikers who should be hit. A usual suspect. Just like Gavi, who they seek to tickle in every game. Just in case, Ibáñez purred lying in the area to invite the referees to review the images and find a fault in Koundé’s clean header.
The change in the entire Osasuna attack was the signal that the game was going to change. A gimmicky sign as well as effective. Seeing the starting hat-trick coming on suddenly encouraged the fans to roar. The expectations were met with the great goal from Chimy Ávila. But it was not enough.
Data sheet
Osasuna: Aitor (7); Areso (7), Catena (5), Herrando (6), Cruz (8); Ibáñez (5), Iker Munoz (5), Oroz (6); Rubén García (4), Raúl García (4), Arnaiz (6).
Coach: Jagoba Arrasate (6).
Changes: Budimir (5) for Rubén (m. 62); Ávila (8) by Raúl García (d. 62); Barja (6) by Arnaiz (m. 62); Moncayola (5) by Ibáñez (m. 72); Vidal (sc) by Areso (d. 80).
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (8); S. Roberto (5), Koundé (7), Christensen (6), Bucket (6); Romeu (5), De Jong (6); Gundogan (5), Gavi (6); Yamal (5), Lewandowski (6).
Coach: Xavi Hernandez (6).
Changes: I cancel (6) for S. Roberto (m. 58); Ferran (5) for Yamal (m. 58); J. Félix (sc) by Romeu (d. 79); Raphinha (sc) by Lewandowski (d. 90); Inigo (sc) by Christensen (d. 90).
Goals: 0-1 (m. 45), Koundé. 1-1 (m. 75), Avila. 1-2 (d. 85), Lewandowski (p).
Referee: Ortiz Arias (4), from Madrid.
cards: Lewandowski, Areso, De Jong, Balde.
Red cards: Catena.
Related news
Stadium: The Sadar.
Spectators: 21,966