Years go by and the Joan Gamper is still the first party of Barcelona, a night for the illusion that erases any bad memory. Players, coaches and captains pass by, and new idols appear like Robert Lewandowski to show off at the premiere, and enthusiasm is regenerated with the hope of enjoying football again and the desire to win titles.
Xavi passed and has returned. He was a midfielder, a former captain and is now a coach. He knows the pulse of the Barcelona player like few others. “We want to make the culés happy and that happens by winning titles”, he said in his speech, setting the bar by which the team’s work will be measured, which was exhibited in its debut at home (6-0) over the Mexican Cougars.
The staff responded to the high expectations set. Nine, ten months will pass, with the added interruption of the Qatar World Cup, so that it will be known what the performance of this Barça will have been, acclaimed like all the previous ones, with five signings (for the moment) but in its presentation it thrashed and swept a Camp Nou with an outstanding entrance: 83,021 spectators.
The old hero, the new leader
Xavi is an old hero who refers to the most glorious times and enjoys credit. Robert Lewandowski has been invested in the category of leader and enjoyed the first ovation of the night, slightly higher than those paid to Pedri, Ansu Fati and the welcomed Dembélé.
It took three minutes for the double Golden Boot to respond to the welcome and release his scoring account, sealed in the United States, leading the group to a placid and devastating win (four goals in 19 minutes, plus two shots on the posts) over UNAM Pumas, lost and soft, who thought he was participating in a ribcage, interpreting the festive character of the treatment given to Dani Alves, in white, but as manifestly culé as his former teammates and the spectators. He ended up blanketed, more integrated into the Barça dressing room than in the Mexican. It’s not strange either. He has been there for two weeks. Rayo Vallecano, next Saturday, will not be so magnanimous.
Lewandowski was the banner of a lineup with will renewing in attack (Dembélé and Raphinha seconded the Polish nine) but immobile in the medullary: Gavi and Pedri accompanied Busquets. In other words, headlines from the past like Piqué, De Jong, Memphis and Aubameyang will start from the bench and take the field if they earn it in training. Either Xavi’s first starters settle in or they don’t measure up in a campaign in which he will be pressured to the pointer. Iñaki Peña, Ter Stegen’s new squire, denied Pumas the goal of honor.
passes with poison
Aubameyang took the same time as his new competitor to score the fifth, also claiming his status as a scorer, although bordering on the right. He scored on an empty goal thanks to a powerful attack by Kessié in the area. Even De Jong threw vertical passes, as if his continuity depended on the poison he can release with the ball and he ceases to be that good Dutch boy who gives both ten and twenty. Xavi also asks him for goals. He did not fail her.
The 31 summoned by Xavi were reduced to 30 presences and only 22 interveners in the game. Andreas Christensen He suffered some cervical discomfort that prevented him from lining up. Ferran could not play due to injury and Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwate were invited to stay at home. The purpose was twofold: avoid a whistle and repeat that they have no place in the squad. Umtiti, in fact, lost number 23 in favor of Jules Koundé. Braithwaite did come and got the only whistles. The goalkeeper Arnau, Collado, Pjanic, Abde and Torre were left without playing.
Data sheet
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (Peña, m. 60); Sergi Roberto (Dest d. 60), Araujo (Koundé, d. 60), Eric (Piqué (d. 46), Balde (Alba d. 46); Gavi (Kessié, d. 46), Busquets (Nico, d. 46), Pedri (De Jong m. 46), Dembélé (Aubameyang (m. 46), Lewandwoski (Memphis, m. 60), Raphinha (Ansu Fati (m. 46).
Pumas UNAM: Gonzalez (Gil, d. 89); Bennevendo (Galindo, m. 46), Ortiz, Freire (Montejano, m. 89) Aldrete (Rodríguez, m. 60); López (Gutiérrez, m. 46), Higor Meritao (Caicedo, m. 89), Dani Alves (García, m. 60); Salvio, Dinneno (Diogo, d. 60), Del Prete.
Goals: 1-0 (m. 3), Lewandowski scores without an angle from the bottom line; 2-0 (m. 5), Pedri dribbles past the goalkeeper and scores on an empty goal; 3-0 (m. 10), Dembélé connects a low shot to a pass from Raphinha; 4-0 (m. 19), Pedri dribbles past Ortiz and easily beats González; 5-0 (m. 49), Aubameyang, to an empty goal; 6-0 (m. 84), De Jong deceives the goalkeeper in a one-on-one.
Referee: Sanchez Martinez (Murcia).
Cards: Gavi (d. 21).
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Stadium: Camp Nou.
Spectators: 83,021.