Amadeu Garcia
Updated Saturday, February 17, 2024-20:55
25th day Classification in First
Robert Lewandowski
, with two goals, the second of them after repeating a penalty in the first instance saved by
Guaita
, gave Barça three vital points on their visit to Balaídos. The Pole, when the first half was dying, was in charge of putting ahead a team to which Celta gave up the initiative for much of the afternoon. Something that would not change much even after the tie, already in the second half, with a shot by
Iago Aspas
deflected by
Koundé
. When the distribution of points seemed already assured, a penalty by
Fran Beltrán
on
Lamine Yamal
completely changed the script, despite the fact that the local goalkeeper, getting too far ahead, stopped the first shot of the Barça
number nine
, who did not waste his second opportunity.
[Narrative and statistics (1-2)]
Xavi approached the game partly thinking about Naples and partly also looking for a little more bite in attack. That would explain the ownership of
Vitor Roque
as
Gündogan
relief . Something that did not deprive him of having greater possession against a rival well supported in defense, in search of some blow on the counter and entrusted to the duo formed by Aspas and
Strand Larsen
.
With the ball at their feet throughout the first 45 minutes, Barça had to be patient to find the best way to break the local defensive framework. And, playing and playing again and again, he ended up finding it through a Lewandowski who has already scored three consecutive games. The Pole, with perfect oriented control to enter the area from the front when the first half was dying, managed to gain enough space to launch a powerful shot against which Guaita could do nothing.
Defensive mistakes
With the score at 0-1, Celta, to the despair of Xavi, far from sinking, responded by taking advantage of another of those notorious defensive lapses by the Blaugrana. Mingueza's shot, hard but too focused, however, ended up in the hands of Ter Stegen in what would practically be the last option of a dense first half, in which Barça saw its insistence rewarded almost at the last moment.
Spurred perhaps by that last play, and with no choice but to take a step forward, the locals jumped into an open grave after the break and soon found the prize of the tie, with a shot from Aspas deflected slightly by Koundé to prevent Ter Stegen from being able to score. something to avoid it.
Excess precipitation
With the tie in the bag, Celta made some clear arrivals to the Barça area, but without these approaches ending up being culminated with shots on goal. Xavi, for his part, looked for a boost by bringing on Gündogan and
Raphinha
for
Christensen
and
Vitor Roque
. An excess of precipitation, on many, many occasions, would become his greatest burden.
With these premises, the second half did not take too long to transmit the feeling that the 1-1 was going to be immovable in the end. Until Fran Beltrán, in an attempted clearance already in added time, hit Lamine Yamal's body and the referee,
Pulido Santana
, pointed to the penalty spot. Lewandowski missed his first option, but Guaita got too far ahead and the shot was repeated. On the second try, however, the Pole did not fail and awarded three vital points to his team.