The missing Lewandowski appeared at a good time and the substitute João Félix also appeared on time, luckily for Lamine Yamal and Barcelona reached the final of the Super Cup, their favorite tournament in Xavi's time. The Blaugrana's last 12 victories had been by a goal difference until they met Osasuna in Riyadh. The scoreboard improved and also the football of the Blaugrana on the way to their meeting with Madrid. The classic will allow us to evaluate to what extent Barça has recovered the game and its memory during its stopover in Saudi Arabia.
2
Iñaki Peña, A. Christensen, Koundé, Ronald Araújo, Alex Balde, Gündogan, Sergi Roberto (Pedri, min. 61), Frenkie De Jong, Lewandowski, Raphinha (Lamine Yamal, min. 42) and Ferrán Torres (João Félix, min. 61)
0
Herrera, Jesús Areso, David García, Juan Cruz (Kike Barja, min. 85), Catena, Rubén Peña (Mojica, min. 78), Aimar Oroz, Iker Muñoz, Moi Gómez (Rubén García, min. 85), Ante Budimir and Arnáiz (Raul García de Haro, min. 69)
Goals 1-0 min. 59: Lewandowski. 2-0 min. 92: Lamine Yamal.
Referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz
Yellow cards Catena (min. 32), Iker Muñoz (min. 39), Arnáiz (min. 55) and Arrasate (min. 80)
Nothing goes well against Osasuna. Everything costs him much more after a last season in which he won games easily and naturally or at least fought great against rivals like Barcelona. The Navarrese gave in after a goal from Lewandowski, which they discussed a lot and did not have enough arrests afterwards to reach the tie but instead conceded a second goal from Lamine Yamal.
The winger finished off a very good start by João Félix after Lewandowski had previously completed an assist from Gündogan, the player who supported Barça until Pedri rejoined in the final stretch. The canary colored a match that the Barcelona fans always controlled except when the ball reached Budimir.
The two teams have lost consistency and the coaches do not stop turning the team around to find balance, especially in the case of Arrasate, who arranged a formation with three center backs to defend Barça's two and a half forwards. Xavi has ended up sacrificing the innocuous João Félix in favor of Ferran, an attacker who plays more in space and makes good unchecks without being a fourth midfielder, the formula that has surprisingly disappeared, no matter how much the injuries to Gavi and Pedri have influenced . The imbalance has been accentuated because the strikers do not defend or press, so that Barcelona relaxes and allows the field and ball for the rivals' transitions, and even more so when they are as intense as Osasuna.
The arrivals followed one another in both goals until the Blaugrana, very vulnerable without the ball and slow in retreating, took control and set the pace of the match based on the possession play of Sergi Roberto and Gündogan and the leadership of De Jong. The pause and order overcame the vertigo in Barcelona's phase of dominance, excessively predictable and also lacking aim, especially when it gained shooting positions against Sergio Herrera. Lewandowski could not find the goal either in deep actions or even from set pieces, luckily for Osasuna. Although they tried not to lose intensity, the Navarrese were forced to defend very early, erratic in their passing and subdued by Barça, until they finally connected with Budimir.
The striker's appearance changed the tone of the match at times because Osasuna had up to three consecutive chances that required the intervention of Iñaki Peña. Arnaiz's trigger and a Budimir break on Araujo denounced Barça's defensive tension after Raphinha was injured. The Barça defenders are defeated every time a forward like Budimir coughs. No opponent needs to set up the game to surprise this Barça, but it is enough for them with a couple of passes to face Peña. The goalkeeper held on and Barça breathed again with Lamine Yamal's dribble. In the absence of Balde, lost in a no-man's zone on the left lane, the football had turned to the right side of Koundé-Raphinha/Yamal.
There was no mobility in Barcelona's attackers, nor ball speed to surprise Osasuna. The work of the media had no continuity and the team was often divided, out of sync in the pressure and in the pass-reception, due to the paralysis of the forward and the vertigo of a defense that did not know how to measure the space to be granted between the divide. and Peña. Stuck in the elaboration, Barça found the solution in a steal of the ball by Christensen on Arnaiz that made it possible for Gündogan to pass and finally control and Lewandowski's dry shot. The play was checked and validated despite Osasuna's complaints. The goal calmed a Barça team supported by Gündogan and reinforced by the reappearance of Pedri.
The context also benefited João Félix, excellent in his start when he required an excellent intervention from Sergio Herrera, and forced Arrasate to sacrifice a defender and add forwards to improve his attack against Peña. Nobody bothered more in any case than Budimir, only reduced by the Barcelona goalkeeper. The Navarrese charge, however, was sterile and, once the field was opened and with plenty of space, Xavi's boys closed the event with a goal from Yamal after good driving by João Félix. A good ending to face Madrid.
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