Barça throws in the towel for the League
Cádiz crosses the path of the Catalan team again and takes the three points from the Camp Nou to get out of relegation
MADRID, 18 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona said goodbye this Monday to its options to be able to fight for the title of LaLiga Santander 2021-2022 against Real Madrid after falling 0-1 at the Camp Nou against a Cádiz that crossed its path again to snatch points and catch air in his race for permanence.
The Blaugrana team is already 15 points behind the lead, with 21 to play in their case, but worst of all are the sensations they have been offering in their last games. Once again he had to go in tow against a rival, who rotated and clung to his danger on the counterattack, his defensive discipline and the great performance of his goalkeeper, Jeremías Ledesma, to get out of relegation. Four games since his return to the First Division and no defeat against the Catalan team, a service record within the reach of very few.
Xavi Hernández’s team did not give up and tried by all means, especially after the 0-1, but this time they did not find saving goals and now their main objective will be to defend second place and access to the Champions League, a fight that has fueled and that will be played this Thursday against a direct rival like Real Sociedad.
Barça showed that they have lost the ‘spark’ that they had lit not too long ago and that only Ousmane Dembélé was able to light it. The Blaugrana team, in an environment in the stands of the Camp Nou less rarefied than expected after what happened against Eintracht, made some adjustments to the eleven, with Memphis as ‘9’ instead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but it cost a lot hurting a well-established rival who opted to reserve pieces like Negredo, Chust, San Emeterio, Idrissi or Akapo, plus the sanctioned Alcaraz.
The duel was controlled by the locals, but they did not find any facilities towards Ledesma’s goal. Sergio González was right in his approach and his team only suffered when Dembélé grabbed the ball, which was a torment, although the French winger did not find support from his teammates, especially on the other side with a bit of a protagonist Ferran Torres.
Dembélé was the first to warn, almost at the beginning, but from then on, the culé team not only could not score the goal that would give them more peace of mind, but also suffered from Cadista counterattacks, especially the one they led on the edge of the average hour Rubén Sobrino who sent a ‘pass of death’ to a Lucas Vázquez who wasted the best chance of the match up to that moment when he was alone against Ter Stegen.
LEDESMA TURNS LUCAS PÉREZ’S GOAL INTO GOLD
The scare did not wake up FC Barcelona too much, although an increase in intensity, led by its winger, allowed him to corner Cádiz in the final stretch in which Ledesma had more work, mainly with a great hand to Dembélé who had made a great vertical ride after a loss of Espino in the midfield.
Xavi Hernández’s team tried to put more rhythm into the clash after passing through the locker room, but was seen again for the fourth consecutive game behind on the scoreboard due to a new defensive mistake. Sobrino finished off twice a meter from Ter Stegen, who repelled both as best he could, but not the definitive one from Lucas Pérez.
Barça tried not to feel the blow and went for the tie, always depending in excess on what Dembélé did, so his coach did not take long to put Aubamenyang on the field for Memphis to seek the rescue of the ‘smell’ from Gabonese. Cádiz tried not to lose order to maintain their valuable income, although they ran out of outlets towards the rival field and once again entrusted themselves to a Ledesma who once again denied the tireless French winger a goal.
Cádiz, despite everything, again forgave a clear chance in an internship by Alejo, more intense at the crossroads than Lenglet, and another pass that Alex Fernández did not manage to direct to the goal either. Sergio González put fresh legs to hold the local final arreón with the entry of Luuk de Jong and Adama Traoré, Xavi’s last ‘bullets’ for the comeback.
The Dutch striker, cheered by the stands, only had one chance to be a savior, with a header coming off a corner that ran into the immeasurable Ledesma, who also denied Eric García the equalizer and, above all, to Aubameyang. Cádiz could also sentence, but ended up surviving the blaugrana cornering.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: FC BARCELONA, 0 – CÁDIZ, 1 (0-0, at the break)
–ALIGNMENTS.
FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Dest (Mingueza, min.94), Lenglet (Adama, min.77), Eric García, Alba; Gavi, Busquets, Frenkie de Jong (Luuk de Jong, min.77); Dembélé, Memphis (Aubameyang, min. 61) and Ferran.
–GOALS.
0-1, 48th minute. Lucas Perez.
–REFEREE: Jaime Latre (C.Aragonese). He booked Busquets (min.42), Dest (min.70), Ferran Torres (min.94) and Jordi Alba (min.98), for FC Barcelona, and Luis Hernández (min.61), for Cádiz .
–STADIO: Camp Nou. 57,495 spectators.