He Barcelona he scored a goal Bayern Munich before the first minute was up, but he did not enter the game until the 20th minute had passed and they had already tied it. For the first time, Flick’s team found itself surpassed not only in transitions, as happened for example against Osasuna, but also in control, in the dominance of the rival, which forced it to be stuck in its field without being able to get out. He couldn’t put two passes together and could only defend. He couldn’t get the ball back quickly, his best hallmark this season, simply because he didn’t have it. The duel only went in one direction. Bayern had studied Barça, they rocked him from one side to the other with changes of direction, they shook him to disorder him and then they hit him with the centers, because the full-backs, Bucket y Koundéthey suffered a lot with those long trips. Kane’s first goal was disallowed for offside, the second, a marvel from the preparation to the finishing, did go up on the scoreboard.
The situation and the tie could have sunk Barcelona, who had taken the lead as soon as it started with a goal from Raphinha. The Brazilian took advantage of the space in the back of the German defense, which also takes many risks. At the base of the action was Lewandowski to hold on with his back and allow his teammates to receive face-to-face and mount the counterattack, between Pedri and Fermín. The Pole set a standard in that game of being a pivot. Also Kane, who leaves the area and does not feel out of place, because he is protected by his quality.
Barça does not become small
The situation did not despair Barcelona, a team now with confidence. He did not become small and finally began to conquer the opposite field, with the appearance of his midfield players, Pedri, Fermín, Casadó… And with the infinite details of Lamine Yamalthat there is not a day that something is not invented that at first seems not to exist. Due to the proposal of both teams, the game was played in a small space and with many alternatives. Like a wild boxing match, to see who can stand the longest. In that script, the one who found a way was Fermín after a pass from Lamine and in a play with Kim that neither the referee nor the VAR evaluated. The Blaugrana put his hand on the centre-back’s back very lightly and continued to assist Lewandowski.
Just before the break Raphinha scored the second after receiving on the left side and finishing with his right foot. Casadó’s game changer was a spectacle. In the midst of anarchy, details followed one anotherin a game in which it was difficult for it to happen, because the two teams looked for each other after losing the ball like a pack of wolves after their prey.
The result could invite a certain relaxation, but not the circumstances. At the speed at which everything was happening, in a moment you could turn around. Bayern came back from the locker room dominating again. A quick goal for them was to start again. The Spanish team had the spaces in its favor if it managed to get out of the hunt. He achieved it again by using talent: Pedri’s to pause the start, where the others get nervous; that of Lamine Yamal to control and change the game quickly to the other side; and Raphinha’s to run and finish across despite the push of the defense, which had already jumped on him. The Brazilian is in a moment in which he thinks he’s capable of everything…But it also comes out. Slight tribute was given in his 100th game with the Barcelona shirt. It was another flag goal in a night of non-stop football.
It didn’t stop Bayern, who put pure dynamite on the field: Musiala, Sané, Coman and Goretzka came out, who, yes, were on the bench. The German team still had a couple more outbursts. Flick’s response was to bring in De Jong and with the Dutchman he was able to exercise a little more football control. Finally, the “olé, olé” could be heard in the Montjuic stands.because their players began to chain one pass, another and another, to start over if they were not clear. Until that moment, the atmosphere was extraordinary but with so much change of ownership of the ball that the fans could only hold their breath.
With De Jong, Pedri excelled in preserving the ball, while Lamine Yamal continued with the catalog of dribbles, starts, stops, pipes, controls of balls that fell from the sky… Casadó, meanwhile, continued to earn his place, with another match of remarkably high, almost outstanding, both with the ball and especially without it, in the defensive effort and the intelligence to be well positioned.
Flick’s team forgave several situations in the end. The match serves him well: confirmation against a great, his nightmare in recent years, also with suffering. The Classic comes at a good time.
