Barça continues its rise with a win over Athletic

The azulgrana team chained their third game scoring four goals, and this time they also did it without conceding, something they had only achieved once in the last ten games. While the team from Biscay, with their minds set on the Copa del Rey, wasted a good opportunity to get closer to the Europa League positions.

Marcelino introduced seven novelties in the eleven that last day thrashed Real Sociedad in the Basque derby, and left important players on the bench such as the Williams brothers, Íñigo Martínez or Muniain, thinking about next Wednesday’s duel in Mestalla, where the Basques are playing for the pass to the cup final.

Too many concessions for this Barça, which thanks to Xavi seems to be an increasingly recognizable team, applying high pressure, increasingly dynamic and precise in possession and with an offensive trident that seems already consolidated as the one they form Adama, Ferran Torres and Aubameyang.

The Gabonese, who has five goals in the last three games, was in charge of opening the can in the 37th minute, volleying a ball that was rejected by the crossbar after a Pique’s header on a corner kick.

The 1-0 made up for the merits of the Barça team in the siege, although with few chances, to Unai Simón’s goal, who only had to work hard in a shot from a angle Ferran Torres.

Before, Zarraga had taken another header from Piqué on the goal line and Gavi sent to the amphitheaterfrom the penalty spot, an assist from Ferran after receiving a precise filtered pass from Pedri.

The canary has emerged as the boss of the engine room in recent games and tonight he once again gave a recital of how play between the lines which raised gasps of astonishment and applause from the Camp Nou.

Athletic, for its part, withstood each well-ordered local attack at the back, but with serious difficulties to go on the counterattack. Even so, Zarraga, with a forced shot that Ter Stegen stopped without problems, and Vesga, with another shot deflected after a bad clearance of Piqué, they had their options on the visiting side.

Marcelino moved the bench at the break giving entrance to Íñigo Martínez for Yeray and Sancet for Raúl García. And Barça, perhaps because of the effort made three days before in Naples, had a hard time finding the rhythm after the restart.

Despite everything, Ferran Torres had a very clear opportunity to make the second after the hour of play. The Valencian striker He took advantage of a slip by Vivian to face Unai Simón, but the Athletic goalkeeper beat him one-on-one, avoiding the goal.

The entry of Dembélé and Nico Williams The match was once again livened up, especially that of Barça’s French winger, whistled on the first ball he touched and applauded on the second, when he outlined himself on the right profile to change the ball to his leg before sending a missile with his left foot that surprised to Unai.

The mosquito He celebrated his bite by going to the bench to celebrate with the whole team, and then he did it with Xavi, who has not tired of defending his professionalism despite refusing to renew with the club.

Dembélé rounded off his performance by giving away two goals from the left in the final stretch. The first, to Luke de Jongafter the umpteenth mischief of Pedri, and the second, to a recently entered Memphis.

Athletic, on the other hand, could only score in the second half with a half-turn shot from the edge of Nico Williams that Ter Stegen stopped.