Approved and failed for Barcelona: Dembélé breaks it with a goal and two assists

Ter Stegen: the German goalkeeper got rid of the thorn in part of his irregular performance in Naples with a very serious and solvent game. He had two great interventions, especially a strong shot from Villalibre. On footwork he was outstanding as always.

Alves: the Brazilian returned after four absent games and did so with another display of play and physical ability. It is incredible that at 38 years old he maintains this ambition and this desire to please people. He is a supercrack.

Araújo: the Uruguayan was a blotter in his area. No one could get close without receiving the ‘seal’ from the centre-back. In addition, every day he is seen looser in the rise of the ball.

Pique: superlative. His match against Athletic bordered on perfection. Attentive in anticipation, forceful in the air and solvent in the ball out. In addition, his header ended up leading to the first goal of the match, since the post repelled the ball and Aubameyang took advantage of the action. Thinking of withdrawal right now is simply an insult.

Dest: Great match for the American, with the added merit that he played on a changed band, standing on the left. He is in an exceptional moment of form and game, and Xavi has to take advantage of it. Right now Alves has a tough competitor and even Alba if he’s not careful.

Sergio Busquets: Badia’s great game that sees how the team begins to read all the times of the game and associate with criteria and continuity. He is experiencing a second youth with Xavi as coach.

Gavi: willful and practical game of the Sevillian, who had a golden opportunity to open the scoring after a brilliant assist from Ferran, but his ball went through the roof. He played as a right interior, but he did not fully understand himself when it came to partnering with Adama. All my heart, his football is always a guarantee for the team. He was replaced by Frenkie.

Pedri: the best. He didn’t score, but he damn well does. He is the most brilliant player of this generation of footballers. Comparing him with Iniesta is no joke, it’s a reality. He gave the stands stratospheric plays, which raised a devoted crowd that ended up chanting his name. We are facing a world star. At the level of Mbappé or Haaland. The only difference is that he is not a striker, but a midfielder. He is a genius with extraordinary talent and also works like the best.

Adam: it’s still a nightmare for your markers. Nobody has yet found the trick of how to stop his incursions down the right wing. In fact, Balenciaga was forced to literally grab him by the throat to slow him down. He got tired of centering balls into the area, with more or less success, but always causing danger.

Aubameyang: the Gabonese is still in a state of grace. He has five goals in the last three games. At the Campo Nou he debuted with a ‘killer’ goal, taking advantage of a shot from Piqué’s head that repelled the post to finish off with a volley with great care and precision. The former Arsenal player celebrated his goal with the first somersault at the Camp Nou. He was very dynamic and hardworking. The fans fired him with a unanimous applause.

Ferran: still jinxed with the goal. He does a lot of things and most of them well, but he still lacks confidence in front of goal. He had a golden opportunity to stand alone before the goalkeeper after a mistake by the defense, but he ended up throwing the doll. Nor was he excessively lucky in the launch, throwing the ball into the barrier. In any case, his contribution to the game on the left wing is always a danger for the rival, as well as his ability to work when it comes to pressing the ball out. He was replaced by Dembélé.

CHANGES

Frenkie: he jumped onto the field and contributed verticality and combinative play. It is obvious that he is confident. He associated very well with Dembélé.

Dembele: he jumped onto the pitch swallowing frogs as he had to put up with the loud boos of the fans, but he left acclaimed, in true bullfighting style, through the front door after cutting off his ear and tail. And it is that scoring a goal and giving two assists in just over twenty minutes is within the reach of only geniuses. His goal was of extraordinary violence, entering the ball through the entire squad. And the centers from him to Luuk and Memphis as precise as they are meritorious.

Memphis: good minutes from the Dutchman, who knew how to take advantage of them to close the scoring with a ‘killer’ goal after an excellent assist from Dembélé.

Luke: this Dutchman is blessed by the gods. There were less than five minutes left to finish the game and in the first proper cross that came to him, he finished off with a header to the back of the net.

Nico: he came out to put some physicality and talent in midfield.