There are victories that taste like glory for the moment, for the circumstances, for the rival and for the stage, few as demanding as the El Sadar ring. He played Barça as the leader it was after the fall of Madrid in Vallecas and it will be regardless of this Thursday’s game at the Bernabéu before the World Cup break. The azulgrana response to the white defeat was incontestable in Pamplona. The victory had an enormous merit if one attends to the adversities accumulated by Barcelona. A cold goal in a play preceded by a foul was followed by Lewandowski’s expulsion after half an hour and a maddening arbitration by Gil Manzano. The meeting could not have looked worse for Barça. Xavi’s team, however, grew a fang after the baby teeth they showed on nights like Inter’s and signed an unprecedented comeback in Xavi’s time.
1
David García, Aimar Oroz (Brasanac, min. 74), Aitor, Juan Cruz, Chimy Ávila (against Budimir, min. 83), Unai García, Lucas Torró (Kike García, min. 58), Rubén García (Rubén Peña, min. 74), Nacho Vidal, Moi Gómez (Kike Barja, min. 83) and Jon Moncayola
two
Ter Stegen, A. Christensen (Gavi, min. 74), Lewandowski, Ferrán Torres (Ansu Fati, min. 77), Alba, Alex Balde, Pedri (Chadi Riad, min. 88), Frenkie De Jong, Ousmane Dembélé (Raphinha , minute 78), Marcos Alonso and Busquets
goals 1-0 min. 6: David Garcia. 1-1 min. 47: Peter. 1-2 minutes 84: Raphinha.
Referee Jesus Gil Manzano
Yellow cards Lewandowski (min. 11), Alba (min. 37), David García (min. 46), Juan Cruz (min. 47), Lucas Torró (min. 53), Hernández (min. 56), Jon Moncayola (min. 56). 61) and Alex Balde (min. 65)
red cards I hammered (min. 49)
Osasuna does not care about playing against the first or against the last, he does not distinguish between rivals, always very intense, applied in the pressure and supportive in the effort, intimidating in the forge of El Sadar. The intimidation of the Navarrese team requires a lot of concentration on the part of the opponents and a special neatness in handling the ball to avoid losses, one of the evils that most torments Barcelona. Even the most veteran and conscientious footballers are absorbed by the energy of Osasuna when they get distracted as was the case with Busquets. The captain was repeatedly confused until conceding 1-0. David García anticipated Busquets at the exit of a corner conceded due to a mistake by Barça’s central midfielder. Although there was a lock-screen of Unai García on Marcos Alonso, the referee and the VAR made the longus Luckily for Osasuna.
Barça was not comfortable. Complaints and doubts ended up immobilizing and penalizing Xavi’s boys. In favor of the scoreboard, Osasuna was more selective in his arrivals and was more attentive in defending Aitor’s area. The meeting became a very physical duel, hand-to-hand, from which Barcelona came out badly, less accustomed to contact and portrayed in each action against the ardor of El Sadar. The conflict overtook even an expert like Lewandowski. The Pole, who had already been booked for a tackle from behind, charged David García and was sent off after half an hour for a double yellow card by Gil Manzano, the same referee who once showed the red card to Messi, Neymar , Luis Suárez, Bale, Casemiro… The performance of the referee brought out the striker —he will not play the derby—, and a substitute like Piqué.
Lewandowski was not able to control himself, just as frustrated as the Barcelona footballers, overcome by the revolutions of the game and the environmental burden of El Sadar. The azulgrana missed an artist like Pedri in a combat of fajadores that was especially convenient for Osasuna. The man from Tenerife reappeared at the end of the break to hole in a ball rejected by the Osasuna center-backs and disputed by Ferran Torres after a cross from Alba. The tie rewarded the combativeness of Barcelona and the good movements of Ferran as false 9. You have to play very fine and fast to overcome a team as scorching as Osasuna and Barcelona lacked precision and control to dominate at El Sadar. The match demanded the intervention of the coach and Arrasate risked changing Torró for a long-stemmed striker like Kike García.
Excessively repetitive until then with tactical fouls, Osasuna once again won the field and the ball while retreating from Barcelona. The wheel of changes, however, decided the match in favor of Barcelona after Ter Stegen took a shot from Chimy Ávila. Xavi preferred to play Frenkie de Jong as central defender after Christensen was injured and Piqué had been sent off during the break in his last game for arguing with Gil Manzano. Although the tie was not a bad result and Arrasate did not stop putting forwards, the azulgrana defended rigorously and achieved victory in a Raphinha header over Aitor’s exit after a pass from midfield by Frenkie de Jong.
The azulgrana knew how to interpret the needs of the game despite their numerical inferiority against Osasuna. The verve and strength of the Navarrese contrasted with the maturity and intelligence of Barça. The azulgrana defended the spoils like wild boars as if the League were more than the leadership.
You can follow EL PAÍS Sports in Facebook Y Twitteror sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.
#Barcelona #leader