• Narration: So we live the game
  • Group F. This is the group

There is no trade that brings the torment closer than that of the goalkeeper. Loneliness accompanies them with the scythe. Error leads to eternal mockery. The success, however, should not be more than routine. But Marc-André ter Stegen is one of those proud goals. No one trusts more than him in his qualities. He is not afraid of the failure, nor is he impressed by his interventions. The goalkeeper came to challenge one of the great legends of the German team, Manuel Neuer. He does not understand that he will be denied a position in the Mannschaft, nor that, in his day, he should give Claudio Bravo minutes. Time always ends up proving it right. In Germany, where he feels misunderstood, Ter Stegen completed one of his career shows. He made life impossible for Reus, who scored up to four goals, one of them after the launch of a penalty. And he freed Barcelona from a defeat in Dortmund that would have been a reality if the iron goalkeeper had not mediated. [Narration and statistics: 0-0]

There are places where courage has nothing to do with irresponsibility, but with mere survival. Especially if you go out to play a football game in the legendary Westfalenstadion against Gelbe Wand. A vertical wall that threatens to fall on you. A yellow wall in which 25,000 fans are confused with metraquilato and concrete while warning of the threat of the abyss. Shudders.

Faced with such a scenario, Ernesto Valverde, the same coach who had given himself to extreme pragmatism for so long, released the boy Ansu Fati, the youngest debutant of Barcelona in the history of the Champions League (16 years and 321 days). And he offered the ball to the men who had to court the ball. Although, contrary to what happened in front of Valencia, neither Busquets, Arthur nor de Jong found a way to make sense of the night. Nor did Griezmann, Suarez and Fati offer them departures from the offensive zone.

Who had the best option to open the scoring was one of those veterans who do not lose their angel, Marco Reus. Thorgan Hazard, Eden's brother, had played it in the entire Barca rear. And like a snake, Reus slipped in to duel in the sun with Ter Stegen. Barcelona's goal was already seen coming. So, before the German tip hit the ball, Ter Stegen had already advanced enough to deny every crack. Reus had only to give up while the fans discovered his frustration.

Valverde was also disheartened. In his case, because he could not find a way to order the attack game of his players, more aware of not losing his back than of approaching Bürki. Suarez lost races, Ansu Fati was losing his impudence with losses, while Griezmann shifted shore in search of some gold nugget.

A hint of Hummels and another shot outside of Jadon Sancho, facing and with paradise in front, canceled out Dortmund's expectations. Paco Alcácer, meanwhile, left his life on the hunt for the goal.

Barça, on the other hand, was accumulating reasons for concern. Jordi Alba saw his muscle fibers tear apart. Incomprehensibly, he spent five minutes wandering around. Lame. And with its natural substitute, June Firpo, in the stands. Who had to appear was Sergi Roberto.

The day that Barcelona should be the one who ruled with the ball, the danger only came from the corners. In one of them, Piqué combed without anyone being aware. Already when the first act died, who had to take out under sticks was Hummels.

Barcelona thought that it could continue with this dynamic at the dawn of the second half. Bürki took out the mitt in a whip without an angle from Suarez. Fright that re-emboldened the Germans. Although the Borussia he met was an ally on the opposite side. Semedo thought he should step on Jadon Sancho in the area. Without noticing that the Dortmund striker, in fact, was already retiring. Signal Iduna Park trembled when the referee signaled a penalty. Although nothing would make sense to fans if Reus failed to overcome Ter Stegen's imposing opposition.

The Barcelona goalkeeper stretched his arms as much as he could. Enough so that Reus's hammer did not find the net. Ter Stegen did not flinch, nor when picking up the rebound. And the men of Valverde, despite the return of Messi to the activity in the last half hour, despite the last arreón of the Argentine, could only sigh and pray for that torture to end. So that his guardian angel did not move from his place. Under sticks. Where Reus, and Dortmund, lost all hope.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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