Barcelona-Atalanta 2-2, goal by Yamal, Araujo, Ederson and Pasalic

Atalanta with head held high in Europe. And this is not new. But the prestigious 2-2 on the Barcelona field, in the last round of the group phase, is not enough to snatch direct qualification. Gasperini’s team, which closes ninth in the standings, will play access to the round of 16 in the play-offs, with the aim of hitting the finish line for the third time in history, after the precedents of 2019-20 (when it went to the quarterfinals ) and 2020-21. The outlet note of the day is the injury of Scalvini, who hurts his shoulder after the subluxation of early December and leaves the field on a stretcher: the defender is particularly unfortunate, who had already undergone a long stop for the breakdown of the crusader.

first half

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In the absence of Lookman, outside three weeks for the collateral ligament injury of the right knee, Gasperini modifies the offensive structure: from the usual 3-4-2-1 to 3-4-1-2, with Pasalic midfielder behind De De Ketelaere and Rettegui. For his part, Flick, despite being already sure of the qualification, sends almost all the owners on the field, with Lewandowski terminal of 4-2-3-1 and the former Juventusian Szczesny between the posts. In the first quarter of an hour, Atalanta is a fury. Pressing, high center of gravity, great courage on the Olimmpic Companys field, the temporary stadium of the Blaugrana who are renovating the Camp Nou. It may happen that the Nerazzurri leave the field open for the verticalizations suggested by Yamal, the most active among his, but the best opportunities happen to them. He goes above all to the left and from an initiative of Zappacosta arrives the first danger: at 10 ‘Balde in slip he touches his own goal, save Szczesny who two minutes later replica sending a diagonal of staggers to the corner. The rhythms fall a little, Barcelona keeps possession of the ball and Yamal tries to surprise Carnesecchi with a shot around (27 ‘) but, once again, it is Atalanta that touches the advantage: at the 35’ ball from De Keelaere in Zappacosta that scores; After a long consultation, the VAR cancels for the offside position of the outside. We go to the interval: Atalanta better than the hosts in the first half.

second half

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As soon as you return to the field, after a flight out of measure of De Roon, Barcelona unlocks the result. At 47 ‘the Nerazzurri have become unprepared on a transition of the Blaugrana: Raphinha, launched by Lewandowski, gets into the left and serves Yamal who enters the area, exceeds Carnesecchi and rests on the net. Atalanta soon has the opportunity to equalize but Pasalic’s shot, in 51 ‘, is diverted by Szczesny. Yamal is, however, the plug in the side for the Nerazzurri. Kolasinac, in an attempt to stop him, gets warned and, angry, induces Gasperini to replace him with Scalvini. The Bergamoes throw themselves forward in search of a useful result to qualify for the round of 16, but leave spaces on the counterattack, such as the one propitiated at 60 ‘by Yamal: Raphinha for Lewandowski who, hampered by Djimsiti, cannot push the ball on the net. Then, in the 63 ‘, the 17 -year -old jewel is directly looking for the brace with a poisonous exterior foiled by Carnesecchi. Just at the most complicated moment the draw of Atalanta arrives. Ederson, in 67 ‘, thinks about the 1-1 with a great right from the edge of the area on which Szczesny cannot arrive. But the Bergamo team sleeps in the 72nd minute, on the occasion of the corner beaten by Raphinha: Araujo, left everything alone on the second post, puts it inside for the 2-1. The game lives on continuous overturning. Now it is Atalanta who tears the tie, with Pasalic exploiting a perfect cross by De Roon: 2-2 at 79 ‘.