Since 2021 began, Barça has become a heart attack team. Every match in recent weeks has been an exciting adventure, a continuous shock that, in many cases, has ended with a happy ending. In the last 40 days, Koeman's men have come back four games and have played four extra time and a penalty shoot-out. A team, in short, made only for well-prepared hearts.
The matter began in San Mamés on Three Kings Day, with a comeback (2-3) after the rojiblancos went ahead with a goal from Williams. The following week, there were more strong emotions in Andalusia. Against Real Sociedad, Barça qualified on penalties with a great Ter Stegen after reaching the end of the first 120 minutes with 1-1 and a crazy extra time with a ball to the Januzaj post. Four days later, the 'Koeman bonus' came out tails. Against Athletic, and after taking the lead twice in La Cartuja, a goal from Villalibre took the final of the Spanish Super Cup to extra time; and there the king was Iñaki Williams. The match also ended with the expulsion of Messi. It gave the feeling that Barça, beaten once more in a decisive match, would accuse the moral blow. But it was not like that.
Only three days later, and in full depression after the defeat of Seville, Barça had to go to extra time to eliminate Cornellà. All this, after missing two penalties in 90 minutes (Pjanic and Dembélé). “It's not serious,” Koeman said. But, really, it was crazy that it continued. In Vallecas, Fran García made it 1-0. Messi and De Jong lifted the game before taking it to another extension. In the next league match, against Athletic, Griezmann resolved another round-trip match in the last minutes (2-1). The pineapple of the Frenchman's goal spoke of a united team, as if on a mission.
But do not go yet, there is still more. In the last week, Barça has raised the tone of emotions. In Granada, after losing 2-0, they tied the game in the last five minutes (Griezmann and Alba) and then sentenced it in extra time, not without giving his hobby another pinch. After Griezmann's 2-3, Fede Vico drew a penalty already in extra time. The match ended 3-5 with final goals from De Jong and Alba. And at Villamarín, the hero was Trincao in the 87th minute.
After years in which it had become a civil servant team and that, although it won as a general rule, it generated some yawn, this Barça de Koeman, younger and more vigorous, has become fun and vibrant. And it starts to get results. He has six consecutive victories in LaLiga and is two games away from a final. He starts scoring goals like hotcakes and has discovered that Messi likes that 'Koeman bonus'. The Dutchman, with genialoid and other suicidal points, accumulates forwards and talent on the field and unbalances a team that plays open-ended, but has believed itself capable of anything and has hooked people. Fresh, funny and proud, leaving his physique in every game and until he holds up. On a good wave, but with a heart attack, Barça expect more strong emotions shortly. On Wednesday, Sevilla. The following Tuesday, PSG.