One of the 16 balls that lost memphis in the Classic it was definitive in the denouement. David Praise got it back and, in addition to not being necessary, the Dutchman abandoned his marking when the Austrian had shot forward. The action ended in 0-1. El Clásico, a builder of heroes so many times, handed over to Memphis yesterday he villain role. There were more, like his compatriot Frenkie de Jong; The how Mingueza, unable to stop Vinicius. But due to the expectations he raised at the beginning of the season, his match in the Classic did not reach the expected level.
Statistics give Memphis five opportunities created, the player with the most at Barça. However, it seemed that the Dutch he did not get the most out of the game. Lying on the left wing by Ronald Koeman to try to explore the defensive weaknesses of Lucas Vazquez, he was never able to get over it. In the first part he proved from outside the area and the ball went to the clouds. The data of the party do not reflect not one more shot from him in the 90 minutes. Too little for a player who came to Barça proclaiming that he would be one of the offensive references, and that he has left turning off in the last days, in which he has only scored two goals, and a penalty, in the last eight games.
What little gas Memphis had left was gone in the second half. its lack of resources turned out shocking. He was not able to make a difference in any one against one, not even to get a good cross. Memphis only he has stopped playing fifteen minutes all season. It has already been more than 1,500 minutes between Barça and the Netherlands and he is not the fresh player who captivated in the first games, with his flashes against Real and his goal in San Mamés.
Paradoxically, the Recovery from other forwards like Ansu or Kun has not benefited him as expected. A footballer who relates well to the game as he had to raise his level with the presence of partners, but for now the opposite has happened. You see him less agile and with less ideas. Maybe it’s time to take a break.
The soufflé through Memphis, well, it’s gone diminishing. And with him, Barça expectations, that he needed players to match, at least, the Griezmann figures. Of Messi it was already known that it would be impossible. But, for now, the former Lyon player has stopped. Koeman, Schreuder y Larsson they will have to work so that work with striker dutch for what recover sensations and confidence, because in the big games of the season (Bayern, Benfica, Atlético and Real Madrid) Memphis has not been seen. And if he was seen, like yesterday, it was to appear in the photo of Alaba’s goal. The villain of the Classic.