Real Sociedad Barcelona, ​​Lewandowski: brace in 4-1

Good second for Xavi’s troop. After the flop start at home against Rayo, Barça launches the first blast in La Liga with a last half hour of overflowing play in the sign of Lewandowski and Ansu Fati, authors of three goals and as many assists together. In Anoeta he ends up in goleada despite the good performance of Real Sociedad for an abundant hour, because Ter Stegen also saves the incomparable and because in the last half hour Xavi changes face to the team with the decisive entries of Ansu Fati and Raphinha. To steal the show, however, is Lewandowski, who on the day of his 33rd birthday signs the first two goals in the Blaugrana with a flash after just 46 ” and the paw in the second half that is worth the goal of safety. His also the assist for the final 4-1 of Fati that allows Barça to remain two points behind the leading quartet.

Catalan diesel

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Not even a turn of the clock and the Catalans strike on the counterattack: Pedri’s masterful exit, Balde’s unstoppable progression and Lewandowski’s masterful advance on Le Normand that makes Xavi cheer on the sidelines. A fulminant start, that of Barça, which however is not able to withstand more than five minutes against the effective maneuver of the hosts. Alguacil’s team responds in kind to the first lunge, thanks to a bloody lost ball by De Jong that Kubo transforms into a precise assist for Isak, who is lucky enough to overcome Ter Stegen with a soft lob “spoiled” by Garcia’s touch. The question and answer at the start is the prelude to 45 ‘not at all boring, in which, however, Xavi’s eleven still reveals fragility typical of those who still struggle to find ideas and balances. What shows up in San Sebastian after the weak draw on the first day is a renewed Barça on the left, where Xavi tests the Balde-Ferran axis, but which still travels at a slow pace and with predictable mechanisms.

Winning moves

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Lewa is the constant point of reference for every play and tries to make his own, it is a pity that the two team mates (on this occasion Ferran and Dembélé) are still packed and not very reactive. De Jong’s control room was also unconvincing, called to replace the disqualified Busquets. So the best occasions of the first part are almost all of the Basque brand, with Merino, Kubo and David Silva stopped by an impeccable Ter Stegen. Except for an unlucky high from Ferran and a harmless attempt by Lewa at the end, in the first 45 ‘Barça is kept afloat by the German goalkeeper, also protagonist at the start of the second half on a powerful left foot from Merino immediately after a goal canceled in Mendes for offside of Le Normand. It is there that Xavi decides to give vivacity and unpredictability to his team with the inputs of Ansu Fati and Raphinha, a double mass that changes the face of the Catalans in the blink of an eye: in the next eight minutes the offensive quartet launched inspired by a Fati in the prompter version, first for Dembélé (winning razor left), then for Lewa (precise tap-in on the far post). With Ansu Fati “false nueve” to talk and play on the bank with Lewa, Xavi’s attack crumbles the opponent’s resistance by creating spaces and opportunities on repeat. The closing of the accounts signed by Lewa-Fati, with the canterano signing the poker in the 79th minute, reflects the decisive change of gear of Barça in the last half hour and legitimizes the final result, giving a taste of the offensive potential available to Xavi.