Heart-pounding victory for the blaugrana: de Jong opens in the 48th minute, then equal to Chukwueze with a quarter of an hour to go. At 88 ‘a new advantage signed by Depay with Coutinho who closes with time expired on a penalty
In the moment of greatest suffering, a great play by Depay, at 88, saves Barcelona, who win 3-1 at Villarreal. Wonderful control after a pass from Ter Stegen, the goalkeeper dribbled and the ball in the net. The difficulties remain, but in the meantime Xavi has managed to obtain the first two victories in a row of this championship, after the one with Espanyol, bringing Barça close to the Champions zone. Seventh place with three points behind for Sunday’s matches. De Jong had scored at the beginning of the second half, at the end of an action started by the young Abde Ezzalzouli, who started from 1 ‘in an attack in numerical emergency. Villarreal’s Unai Emery, the next opponent of Atalanta in the Champions League, was no better off, without Gerard Moreno, who found the equalizer in the 76th minute with Chukwueze after a good maneuver as before. Finally, the rigor of Coutinho’s tranquility.
Question and answer
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For his first away match Xavi proposes nine elevenths of the Champions League formation. In defense there is Garcia and not Lenglet, in midfield confirmed De Jong, Busquets and Nico Gonzalez. In the three in front, on the right, there is the 19-year-old Moroccan from the Cantera Abde Ezzalzouli and not Demir, then Depay and Gavi. Barça started very strong, won almost a dozen chances in the first few minutes and seemed to have to take the lead at any moment, even hitting a post with Gavi. In the long run, however, it is Villarreal to raise the center of gravity and lead the game, breaking through especially on the left, where no one stops Pedraza, helped by Danjuma. At 32 ‘Pau Torres is close to scoring from a corner, with Ter Stegen on the ground, now out of the game, but his header ends high. It is the first of a series of dangers that Barcelona faces before the interval, unable to leave their own half. Between two teams with serious finishing problems, however, it turns out that neither one hurts the other.
Depay takes care of it
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Upon returning from the locker room, one episode is enough to change everything, with De Jong who after a couple of minutes brings Barça forward. Low cross by Jordi Alba on which Depay is thrown, the ball hits Rulli and the goal arrives on the rebound, validated after an infinite check. It all comes from a dribbling on the right of the young Abde. It is he, in the 66th minute, who makes room for Dembele. But the problems begin with the forced change of Jordi Alba, due to muscle problems. At 76 ‘Mingueza takes his place and lets out Chukwueze, served by Danjum, and author of the same. It is the first goal of the Xavi management, but fortunately painless since Depay first invents the overtaking net, then Coutinho wins and realizes the penalty that allows him to round the advantage.
November 28 – 07:51
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