In their third game of the American tour, Barcelona tied 2-2 in a friendly against Juventus in Dallas (Texas) on Tuesday with goals from Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé and Italian Moise Kean.
Dembélé put Barcelona ahead twice with spectacular individual actions in the 34th and 40th minutes, while Kean scored for Juventus in the 39th and 52nd minutes in a game played in intense heat at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Xavi Hernández once again lined up his star signing, Robert Lewandowski, but the Pole was not very active and still does not open his locker with the Barça team.
After defeating Inter Miami (6-0) and Real Madrid (1-0) in the last week, Barcelona will close its pre-season stage in the United States on Saturday at the New York Red Bulls of MLS. Juventus, meanwhile, will face Real Madrid that same day at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena (California).
This Tuesday, Xavi reserved Pedri and the Uruguayan Ronald Araújo, for rest, while Juventus could not count on the Frenchman Paul Pogba, recently returned from Manchester United, due to a problem in his right knee.
Despite the strong heat (38ºC at the start), Barcelona put on strong pressure from the start with an attacking trio formed this time by Lewandowski, Dembélé and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Robert Lewandowski went blank against Juventus
Less assisted by his teammates than in the classic against Madrid, Lewandowski barely had a couple of chances in the 62 minutes he remained on the pitch. The Polish striker, Barcelona’s star signing of the season, narrowly missed a strong shot from outside the area in the first half and a header over the crossbar in the second.
When overcoming the rival pressure, Juventus easily reached the rival area, especially in actions directed by the Argentine Ángel di María. Xavi decided to retouch his team soon and, with only half an hour of play, took advantage of the hydration break to relieve Sergi Roberto for Sergiño Dest. Only four minutes later came Dembélé’s first goal. Starting from the right flank, the Frenchman cut back Alex Sandro twice until he settled the ball on his right leg and shot Szczesny.
The winger, recently renewed by Barcelona, celebrated his goal by making the sleeping gesture with his hands that Stephen Curry (Warriors) popularized in the last NBA Finals.
“He’s a different, special player,” said Xavi Hernández about Dembélé, who was his great supporter to keep him at Barcelona. “He gives us a lot with the way we play,” he stressed.
“He has to be more consistent, score more goals and give more assists, something that he already improved last season.”
Cuadrado’s brilliant participation in the goal
Juventus did not take long to equalize the score with an opening to the left wing towards Colombian Juan Guillermo Cuadrado who, with a touch, sent a low cross into the area that Kean finished off into the net.
Without time to enjoy the draw, Dembélé put Barcelona ahead again with an action very similar to his first goal. The ‘Mosquito’ received again in the right corner of the Italian area and, after getting rid of Cuadrado and Locatelli, defined this time with his left foot.
At the break, both technicians began the carousel of changes until they relieved all their players. The match lost intensity but the fans still attended one more goal in another action initiated by Di María. The ‘Fideo’ assisted from the right for Kean’s arrival in the area, to whom the ball returned after several rebounds to clinch the final 2-2.
Barcelona enjoyed several opportunities to achieve full victories in the United States, especially with two consecutive shots at the post in the 68th minute.
His new Brazilian figure Raphinha, who scored against Inter and Madrid, sent a free-kick to the crossbar and, on the same play, the young Ansu Fati fired a curling shot that crashed into the Italian squad.
Juventus deflated with the withdrawal of their figures in the second half and Barcelona was close to sealing the victory with missed opportunities in the last minutes by the young Gavi and the Dutchman Memphis Depay, one of the players who could leave Barcelona in this transfer market.
SPORTS
with AFP
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