Hilarious game for the spectator, a torture for coaches as calculating as Emery and a whole Via Crucis for the referee. Few times has a braid been seen as overwhelmed lately as Medié Jiménez in La Cerámica. Several plays to the limit, many wrong decisions and the current football, where the deferred is more important than the direct one, turned this fight for Europe into a run-down chronicle of events.
In just the first forty-five minutes the referee gave an involuntary recital: granted Santi Mina 0-1 without duty due to a previous foul by Nolito to Trigueros; he erred by signaling a penalty from Asenjo for an alleged run over to Hugo Mallo that seemed like a fortuitous crash; he whistled a dubious foul outside the area that ended thanks to VAR on the 1-3 penalty, the work of Brais; he expelled Araújo without duty, impressed by an overacting of the central when he went to court, which he later pardoned with the help of the pinganillo; and before reaching the booth to clear up, instead of waiting for the spirits to cool down, he went to the changing room tunnel with a loaded gun and expelled Rulli and Mario along the way for making a mess in the henhouse. The result of this chaos, which leaves the good game proposed in second place, is summarized in that a great Celtic, compact and motivated, clings to his European options While Villarreal, full of substitutes and clueless, is debating at this time between making Champions plans for the next season or discovering unknown cities through the Conference League.
The first part, beyond so much accident, was full of details. Emery made eight changes compared to London, finally taking Fer Niño out of the closet, who has played less than he deserved by statistics (eight goals). Along with him participated Rubén Peña, Yeremy and Moi, who compete among themselves to be creditors to the position that Chukwueze has left with a view to United. At Celta, Brais formed a more than interesting front with Santi Mina. In addition, Beltrán liked taking advantage of a bad day in Capoue and Aarón made a groove down the left wing with a well-tuned left foot. The worst on both sides were in many moments the defenses. Luckily Asenjo and Iván Villar are two cats with mittens. In fact, Funes Mori not only allowed himself to be intimidated in his area, but in the one in front he forgave the 2-2 with everything in favor under the crossbar just before conceding the 1-3.
The second half started somewhat more serene. It wasn't complicated. Emery sat Estupiñán at halftime, which is not the one he was, and from there he was pulling his pillars to try to correct the mess without success. Celta, for its part, knew how to protect itself with the ball, taking advantage of its boiling state and its freshness. Until another center of Aaron from the left was finished with precision by Solari. There, at 57 ', the story ended, despite the fact that at the end (87') the referee compensated with a doubtful penalty from Kevin by hand and the red to Ferreyra put some emotion in the set piece. A vibrant party that would have run with more peace without anyone ordering the traffic and that, to understand it precisely in its global calculation, It is essential to consult the minutes and the VAR leaflet.
Changes
Alberto Moreno (45 ', Pervis Estupiñán), Coquelin (53 ', Capoue), Gerard Moreno (53 ', Moi Gómez), Raba (65 ', Parejo), Alcacer (65 ', Fernando Niño), Kevin Vazquez (67 ', Augusto Solari), Joseph Aidoo (67 ', Hugo Mallo), Jordan holsgrove (77 ', Nolito), Ferreyra (77 ', Santi Mina)
Goals
0-1, 18 ': Santi Mina, 1-1, 24 ': Moi gomez, 1-2, 33 ': Santi Mina, 1-3, 47 ': Brais, 1-4, 56 ': Augusto Solari, 2-4, 86 ': Gerard Moreno
Cards
Referee: David Medié Jiménez
VAR Referee: Pablo González Fuertes
Pervis Estupiñán (4 ', Yellow) Asenjo (32 ', Yellow) Nestor Araújo (43 ', Yellow) Rulli (48 ', Red) Mario (51 ', Red) Ferreyra (78 ', Yellow) Ferreyra (87 ', Red) Yeremi pine (88 ', Yellow