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Barça built a worthy win against Alavés around the ever-present figure Lamine Yamal. The winger was the common thread of a very accurate team against Sivera. Not even the red card shown to Victor Roque in a controversial refereeing decision threatened Barça's victory after goals from the Brazilian strikers themselves, Gündogan and Lewandowski. The players of The blow marked the difference in a therapeutic day for Barça.
1
Sivera, Rubén Duarte, Rafa Marín, Javi López, Nahuel Tenaglia (Ianis Hagi, Min. 77), Ander Guevara, Alex Sola, Luis Rioja (Abde Rebbach, Min. 63), Antonio Blanco (Carlos Benavídez, Min. 77), Guridi (Giuliano Simeone, Min. 63) and Samu Omorodion
3
Iñaki Peña, Cancelo (Hector Fort, min. 45), Pau Cubarsí, Koundé, Ronald Araújo, Gündogan (Vitor Roque, min. 59), A. Christensen (Íñigo Martínez, min. 82), Frenkie De Jong, Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and Pedri (Fermín López, min. 74)
Goals 0-1 min 22: Lewandowski. 0-2 min. 49: Gündogan. 1-2 min 50: Samu Omorodion. 1-3 min 62: Vitor Roque.
referee Juan Martinez Munuera
Yellow cards Samu Omorodion (min. 11), Vitor Roque (min. 66) and Alex Sola (min. 96)
The end was easier than the beginning for a Barça that remained in the dark from the start, or in a parallel reality, away from everyday life, as if it were playing in a league that has nothing to do with the league played by the other teams , without the shadow of Madrid's awesome power. In every game, the Blaugrana face the risk of conceding a goal as soon as they execute a cross, regardless of the scenario, a fate that depends more on the opponent's success than on Xavi's formation. Alavés hovered around the goal for the first five minutes, not knowing whether to call for a penalty or talk about offside, and was convinced it was 1-0 every time the ever-expectant Iñaki Peña arrived.
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The rivals are biting in the back of the Barcelona defense, especially that of Cancelo, which is as permeable as the figure of the midfielder, a position that in Mendizorroza fell to a central defender like Christensen and not to a midfielder of the caliber of an Oriol Romeu or Fermín. Barcelona could not stabilize and Alavés was percussive until De Jong, Pedri and Gündogan came together to improve the game and allow Lewandowski. The striker, who has been unique in the league since December, let the ball run and after excellent control over the goalkeeper's exit, hit it for his 14th goal. The game with the ball was just as fluid as the actions without the ball, clumsy expectations of Alavés.
Barcelona's concessions in defense do not let up, especially in the constant losses of the ball by seemingly reliable players like De Jong, who offered Guridi an excellent chance, solved by Peña, a goalkeeper who reacts excellently but, on the other hand, is very limited in management. of the game, an aspect that Xavi cannot find a solution to, even after letting go of a great central defender like Pau Cubarsí. For some time now, Barcelona have found it difficult to control the games, even when traveling with the score in their favor, since they lack leadership and always focus on Yamal in the different areas of the championship, including in Mendizorroza and entrust them.
The Blaugrana does not know how to apply pressure and the team relaxes to facilitate the rivals' attacks, which is evident in Alavés, starting with Álex Sola and Samu. The 0-1 game was also commendable due to the interaction and combination of the players, as their interruptions on their pitch were reprehensible, without Christensen having any influence on it, nor on the split as in Peña's area. The deployment of up to four centre-backs did nothing to reduce shots from a rival who was fighting determinedly after three wins in the league. Unsurprisingly, Xavi continued to circle the defense at half-time, replacing the leaky Cancelo with Héctor Fort.
The adjustments didn't quite work as Rioja gave a free kick before Samu headed home from a cross from Sola, also poorly defended by Héctor Fort: 1-2. Barça's luck is that they previously scored 0-2 in a transition game well attacked by Yamal and Pedri, which ended with a cross shot at the far post from Gündogan, the same player who had been crucial for Lewandowski's 0-1 lead had. Speed worked better in Luis García's team than constant harassment. Despite its effectiveness in the opposition area, Barça finds it difficult to finish games due to the lack of game management and the fragile field, which is weak against Peña.
Gündogan's discomfort allowed the intervention of Vitor Roque, who was decisive against Osasuna and against Alavés, scoring the 1-3 with a cross after an accelerated action by Yamal from the right, which was finished by Héctor Fort after intervention by De Jong. However, the Brazilian's good moment was interrupted by the referee, who sent him off for a very questionable double booking, much to the annoyance of Xavi. The two-goal cushion and the substitutions ultimately enabled the Blaugrana to stabilize, which left Alavés with no options. Nobody denied the victory of a successful, determined and rejuvenated Barça. The key player due to his influence on the game was Yamal.
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