Incredible final match for Xavi’s men, who overturned the 0-2 deficit with Lewandowski’s brace and Cancelo’s winning goal. Blaugrana momentarily at the top with Girona, waiting for Real
– madrid (spain)
Thanks to an incredible comeback in the last 10 minutes of the match, Barcelona beat Celta 3-2, led 2-0 until the 81st minute and returned to the top of the La Liga together with the exceptional Girona, 5-3 against Mallorca. For the two Catalan teams 16 points out of 18, one more than Madrid involved in the derby with Atletico tomorrow evening at the Metropolitano. Lewandowski’s brace and Cancelo’s goal canceled out goals from Strand Larsen and Douvakis.
FIRST HALF CELTA
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Xavi, fresh from renewal until 2025, started with Marcos Alonso in place of Balde and Ferran Torres as right winger, preferred to Raphinha and Lamine Yamal. Joao, Cancelo and Felix confirmed, Gavi on the bench but forced to come on in the 36th minute due to Frenkie de Jong’s injury, a problem with his right ankle. Pedri still injured, Araujo returns to the bench. He started Celta much better. In the 18th minute, a beautiful flight from Ter Stegen following a brilliant lob from Iago Aspas, the ball goes into the corner and following the developments came the goal from Strand Larsen, diagonally with the right foot from the left after a touch from Luca De la Torre. Joao Felix shot high, two shots from Marcos Alonso did not create much danger and in the 41st minute Celta came very close to doubling their lead: Ter Stegen miraculously delivered a header from the excellent Strand Larsen, and De la Torre fired on the rebound 15 meters high with the door at his disposal.
CHANGES AND ERRORS
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In the interval Xavi changed two men and the system: Lamine Yamal and Araujo for Marcos Alonso and Oriol Romeu, with a 4-1-4-1 in the defensive phase with Gavi in the unusual pivot position, while in the offensive phase it is Cancelo who joins Gavi in a central position in the 4-2-3-1. Gavi immediately risked a penalty on Bamba, and it took Barcelona almost 20 minutes to become dangerous, after the entry of the electric Balde for Christensen, and only thanks to a sensational defensive error that freed Ferran Torres: his shot was too wide diagonal from the left. The Spain international had another chance shortly afterwards, but again shot wide. Bamba was better at the other end, forcing Ter Stegen to make his third notable save of the afternoon. Raphinha replaces Ferran Torres, but the match seems to be directed by the spectacular doubling of Celta’s lead: the ball is recovered by Mingueza from Balde, and from there a wonderful choral action started by Rafa Benitez: the ball passes quickly between the feet of Bamba, Fran Beltran , Bamba again, Iago Aspas with the perfect assist for Anastasios Douvikas who beat Ter Stegen with a precise diagonal. First goal in La Liga for the Athenian who arrived from Utrecht.
3 GOALS IN 8 MINUTES
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Barça suddenly shook themselves and reacted with a brace from Lewandowski in 4 minutes. A perfect lob that hits the crossbar before entering, assisted by Joao Felix’s kiss, and a right-footed touch from the center of the area with a perfect pass from the other Joao, Cancelo, brilliantly released by Raphinha. For the Pole, who scored in 5 games in a row between La Liga and the Champions League, 5 goals in La Liga like Bellingham, a shared goal. Joao Cancelo once again decided the match, with a perfect right-footed touch to close a very intelligent diagonal movement to collect Gavi’s surgical cut from the left. Three goals in 8 minutes which are worth 3 very heavy points. While waiting for the Madrid derby, the Catalans dominate La Liga.
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