Derby from the old days, scented with Sarrià but in the RCDE Sradiumof those tense and controversial, exciting more than beautiful, with so many alternatives in the game and on the scoreboard that Barça felt better and winner for many minutes before Espanyol looked strong and triumphant in the final phase that balanced Luke de Jong with a miraculous header for Barça in 96′. The 2-2 did not leave anyone happy in their respective fights for the Champions League and for peace of mind, but perhaps they did justice to what was seen.
Xavi Hernandez He tried to play as little as possible, which worked wonderfully seven days before in the victory against Atlético (4-2), but he was unable to repeat the line-up due to the two-game suspension of the expelled Dani Alves. There were questions about his substitute because the Brazilian’s work against the mattress team was more of a midfielder, with the ball, than a side. He finally chose a natural replacement as ‘2’, Sergiño Dest, little adaptable to the pivot. The question remained as to whether there would be any tactical surprise to seek that superiority in the average. Vincent Moreno He also played his cards by returning to the starting lineup yangel herrera after his injury and keeping vilhena after their good meeting in Bilbao. A physical bet.
Without time to find out if there were tricks on the boards by the technicians, Barça was already winning 0-1. A great game changer Pique a Adam and the unsuccessful internship of the winger dislocated the Espanyol defense, soft and slow in the back center of Alba who finished off Pedri unopposed to make it 0-1 in minute 2.
It was early to know if it had been an isolated action or a sign of culé superiority. Thomas Raul tried to lead the blue and white reaction and a shot from him in a counter-attack led by him went wide after Araujo will block the shot Pedrosa. Espanyol weren’t quite aggressive in high pressure, but they didn’t lock themselves in their plot either and jumped into the center of the field to force a loss in Barça’s creation zone. Busquets and company tried not to fall into the trap by assuming the minimum possible risks, without Dest daring to do Alves taking a step forward. The consequence: an inconspicuous game by both teams and abuse of the long displacement of the central defenders to the wings looking for Adama and Alba. There were even some defensive balls to the sky of Cornellà, or El Prat, but it was about not making absurd gifts and the 0-1 justified it.
Espanyol, unable to steal up front, was even more uncomfortable and got rid of the 0-2 lead in the 36th minute thanks to Diego Lopezwho made a great save to the point-blank shot of Adamwho had controlled with his chest a large center of a Gavi extraordinary. The same move ended with a high header from Torres for little after service Alba.
Barça forgave and a football maxim was fulfilled: they paid for it instantly. Thomas Raul oiled a short-term stock with great control at the apex of the big area, ceded to Darder and his shot placed from the front entered after grazing just right in Pedri for what Ter Stegen will not arrive
The team of Xavi was more ambitious from 1-1 in the 40th minute until the break than in the entire first half, he surrounded the Blue and Whites’ area with all the players on the opposite field, but the Adama and Gavi could not be used by Torres in forced auctions.
The feeling remained despite the 1-1 that as soon as Barça tightened or was more successful in the definition they would win the game, already with Eric in the second half for the injured Araujobut he took a hit with the goal that the VAR annulled Gavi for a previous offside Frenkie de Jong at 56′.
I enter Aubameyang for Frenkie de Jong and was placed ‘9’, with Torres on the left and Gavi in the average, but, without the azulgrana team assimilating the tactical retouch, it was 2-1. did not measure well Eric a pass of Darder Y of Thomas He did not forgive in the hand in hand with Ter Stegen in 64′.
Espanyol had had a hard time, but they found the match they wanted through perseverance and attitude. Barça was rushed and nervous, so much so that Xavi he played it giving entrance to the pardoned Dembele. It seemed that the match was dying with the reds of Piqué and Melamed and with a handful of unsuccessful centers by the Frenchman looking for the heads of Aubameyang y Luuk de Jong, final urgent appeal. But it was Adam the one who put it well and the Dutchman finished off to equalize in 96′.
RCD Espanyol
22
FC Barcelona
Spanish: Diego Lopez (3); Aleix Vidal (1) (Calero, 1, 88′), Sergi Gómez (2), Cabrera (2), Pedrosa (1); Keidi Bare (2) (Morlanes, sc, 62′) (Fran Mérida, 2, 70′), Herrera (2); Puado (2), Darder (3), Vilhena (2) (Melamed, 2, 62′); and Raul de Tomas (4)
Trainer: Vincent Moreno (2)
Barça: Ter Stegen (1); Dest (1, Piqué (2, Araujo (3) (Eric Garcia, 1, 46 ‘), Jordi Alba (2) (Dembélé, 2, 72’); Frenkie de Jong (2) (Aubameyang, 1, 62 ‘) , Busquets (3), Pedri (2) (Luuk de Jong, 3, 88 ‘); Adama (3), Ferran Torres (2) and Gavi (3) (Nico, 2, 72’)
Trainer: Xavi Hernandez (2)
Goals: 0-1, Pedri (2′); 1-1, Darder (40′); 2-1, Raul de Tomas (64′); 2-2, Luuk de Jong (96′)
Spectators: 25,049 at the RCDE Stadium
Referee: Alejandro Hernández Hernández (Canary Committee) (1). He showed red cards to Piqué (92′) and Nico Melamed (92′) and yellow cards to Keidi Bare (23′), Yangel Herrera (60′), Piqué (73′ and 92′), Puado (76′), Eric ( 78′), Nico González (82′), Melamed (91′ and 92′) and De Tomás (97′)
see game file