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Madrid don’t forgive when they play a final or get into an extreme situation like last night at the Camp Nou. He played with the composure, security and also the efficiency of the champion teams to reach the cup final, which he will play against Osasuna in Seville on May 6th. Barça fought hard while feeling close to victory with the roar of the Camp Nou. On the other hand, he had no answer at 0:1. He struggled to level the game after the 3-0 draw, ended badly, collapsed on the pitch, the stands emptied, the fans were embarrassed at a victory not seen since 1963. The Catalans lacked game, footballer and success , too many concessions in front of a talented and powerful Madrid, much better than that in the league. Tuesday wasn’t just another game but the cup semi-final, an event important enough for Madrid to dispossess Barça, denouncing their shortcomings and subjecting them to a mock mark at a critical moment in a stunned Camp Nou.
0
Ter Stegen, Ronald Araújo, Alex Balde, Marcos Alonso (Eric Garcia, min. 65), Koundé, Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Kessié Franck (Ansu Fati, min. 59), Lewandowski, Gavi and Raphinha (Ferrán Torres, min. 66 ). )
4
Courtois, Eder Militao, Alaba, Camavinga, Dani Carvajal, Modric (Aurelien Tchouameni, min 86), Federico Valverde, Kroos, Benzema (Nacho, min 88), Vinicius Junior (Dani Ceballos, min 85) and Rodrygo (Marco Asensio, minute 73)
Goals 0-1 min 45: Vinicius Jr. 0-2 mins. 49: Benzema. 0-3 mins. 58: Benzema. 0-4 mins. 80: Benzema.
referee Juan Martinez Munuera
Yellow cards Sergi Roberto (min. 10), Hernández (min. 15), Vinicius Junior (min. 26), Eric Garcia (min. 67), Dani Carvajal (min. 70), Ferrán Torres (min. 75), Ronald Araújo (min. 84), Alaba (min. 85), Eder Militao (min. 87) and Ansu Fati (min. 91)
Nothing seemed to escape Ancelotti’s control. He had announced Madrid would win after losing three in a row and predicted a final against Osasuna nine years after the last game against Barça at the Mestalla. Nothing was more unknown at the stadium than knowing by how many goals Madrid would win in the fifth and final classic of the 2022-2023 series.
Although the result was in Barça’s favor due to the 1-0 first leg, the game looked better for Madrid. Ancelotti had a lot more players, the entire squad except for Mendy, and he could change his plan on the fly whenever he wanted, either out of necessity or out of free will depending on the 0-1 result. The line-up was simply a starting point, no matter how infrequent Camavinga’s presence at left-back and subsequent signing of Rodrygo seemed. So Madrid attacked immediately as they took off from the centre, reaching out on either side with their Brazilians Rodrygo and Vinicius, who were as intimidating with the ball as they were defensively absent, luckily for Araujo and Balde.
Xavi’s resources, unlike Ancelotti’s, were as limited as they were worrying, with crucial footballers like Christensen, Pedri, De Jong and Dembélé absent from the team’s lifeline. Nobody went wrong with the formation arranged by the Barcelona coach. What was more surprising was the ease with which he reached Courtois’ frame. The pressure from their strikers when the white defenders left was just as resolvable as ter Stegen’s footwork. The keeper easily linked up with Raphinha, Kessié and Lewandowski. Losses were light, the changes in direction worked and Raphinha was very close to goal in two duels with Courtois.
Despite the game being played more on the Madrid field, Rodrygo was thrown off balance and threatened Ter Stegen with every arrival. The game was as entertaining as it was played on the pitch and greatly animated by the fans who stopped applauding Barça at 10 minutes to summon Messi. The intensive football of the two teams was mixed with demanding and also correct duels until Vinicius came across Gavi. The Brazilian absorbed the game and the anger at the Camp Nou. The Barça flag was adopted by Kessié.
Control was fickle and the chances were slim despite Balde’s speed and Vinicius’ affronts due to the lack of depth. Concentration and defensive help prevailed against the attacks of goal scorers Benzema and Lewandowski. Both appeared in the penultimate game before the break, an action that announced the 1-0 and ended 0-1 in the end: Courtois responded with a great save to a shot from the Pole and Benzema completed the transition after a shot from Vinicius . The forward squeezed Araujo’s defense when the ball was already over ter Stegen’s goal line.
The more attacking Madrid scored on the counterattack, always more dangerous in the open field when they could run and escaped Barça’s pressure, retreat and lack of tactics. The draw was equal: 1:1. The goal encouraged Vinicius, a virtuoso in a whistle against Araujo, and reassured Madrid, who started playing and touching, just as solvent in static attack when a shot from Modric ended with an unassailable shot from Benzema: 0-2.
The competition and the draw were doomed to the Camp Nou’s desperation. Madrid’s sufficiency, expressed by a Benzema hat-trick, contrasted with the inferiority of the Catalans, devastated, confused and so upset that they ended up fighting and being exposed at every acceleration by Madrid. Barça now have nothing less and nothing more to do than win a league that is won with eleven games to go, a long time and more with the memory of Madrid’s 4-0 loss.
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