a spectacular Matheus, author of a double of enormous quality, guided Barça against ElPozo Murcia (1-3) in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the playoff for the title, a tie that will be decided on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at the Palau Blaugrana. The team of Jesus Velasco put the pass to the semifinals on track, but the new format this season, motivated by the tight schedule, forces the regular League champion to take extreme precautions. There is no third playoff game or double value of the goals in the opposite field. It will be 40 minutes of tension against a ranked eighth with quality and character to win on any track. The two goal advantage only give Barça relative peace of mind. In the event of a tie on goals (0-2, 1-3, 2-4…) there will be extra time, but if it continues, penalties will not be used and the Barça team will go through for having been ahead in the League.
Before the game, an emotional minute of silence was observed for the death this Wednesday of the mother of Diego GiustozziElPozo’s coach, who did not want to miss the appointment despite the difficult personal moment.
The beginning, with ElPozo attacking with a goalkeeper-player in the first attacks, had the expected tension, with that memory in the atmosphere of the controversial penalties that gave the Spanish Cup to Barca in Jaen. But the referees were clear that any attempt at unsportsmanlike had to be stopped in order to control the game. And, although they may have gone too far with five yellow cards in the first six minutes, they did it.
Barça struck first in minute 8 with a goal from Ferrao after quitting Pito in an excellent collective action, with an initial pass from Didac, biting over a rival. With the Barça goalkeeper and Juanjo exculé, stopping impossible balls in both goals, the 0-1 was maintained until 11′, when Fernando took advantage of a quick serve from the corner and the general defensive oversight of Barça to make it 1-1 down.
Before the break, in a very close match, the first work of art arrived from Matheus. The left-hander went to the right in the 16th minute of Fernando with a self-pass, balancing on the touchline. stood before Juanjo and he surpassed him changing the ball of foot to the right in the cut. A wonder and 1-2 at rest.
In the second part, the new format conditioned the game. Giustozzi he did not want ElPozo to lose his head even after 1-3 in Matheuswho culminated his great game with a left-footed shot behind the wall with Ferrao. Yes, he attacked with five, but cautiously, measuring the risks well, running into a huge Didac. And Barça did not rush to find steals because they did not want to make a mistake and lose their two goal lead. Juanjo deflected a double-penalty from Sergio Lozano two minutes from the end. And on Saturday, the outcome at the Palau.
ElPozo Murcia: Juanjo, Marcel, Fernando, Gadeia and Rafa Santos (first five); Matteus, Mati Rosa, Juanico, Valerio, Leo Santana, Alberto García and Darío
Coach: Diego Giustozzi
Barça: Dídac, André Coelho, Dyego, Adolfo and Matheus (initial five); Ferrao, Pito, Lozano, Ortiz, Marcenio and Esquerdinha
Coach: Jesus Velasco
Goals: 0-1, Ferrao (8′); 1-1, Fernando (11′); 1-2, Matheus (16′); 1-3, Matheus (33′)
Spectators: 3,532 in the Murcia Sports Palace
Referees: Yellow cards for Coelho (3′), Marcel (4′), Ferrao (5′), Rafa Santos (5′), Mati Rosa (6′), Fernando (10′), Valerio (18′), Alberto García (32 ‘), Matheus (32’)
see game file