:quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/4054f26a-6038-11ec-98a2-0218eaf05005.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "FC Barcelona escapes blunder at home against low-flyer Elche | Football")
sport">In the absence of the still injured Memphis Depay, an apparently new gem presented itself against Elche. Ferran Jutglà (22), actually a midfielder, proved to be a surprising new option for the striker position at Barça.
sport">Because for that position, Xavi passed attacker Luuk de Jong, who was allowed to start against Osasuna (2-2) last week. Jutglà was the man who presented himself last week during the game for the Maradona Cup, for which the club briefly collected two million euros in the United Arab Emirates. During the game against Boca Juniors (1-1, loss on penalties) this Jutglà turned out to have something that today’s Barcelona is looking for: goal orientation and scoring ability. Without bells and whistles. He shot into the 1-0 against the Argentines from the turn.
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Ferran Jutgla celebrates his first goal on behalf of FC Barcelona.
Ⓒ HH/ANP
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sport">Trainer Xavi had seen enough of the man, that he had already made his debut against Osasuna a few days earlier in injury time. Jutglà is not the next La Masia talent to make his debut this season. He was snatched from Espanyol a year and a half ago.
sport">Against Elche he seemed to score the 1-0 within two minutes, but he was a foot offside. After more than fifteen minutes he headed in the opening goal from a corner. In the sequel, he was the only one who brought some depth to Barça’s game with his running actions. Gavi made it 2-0 after 20 minutes. He swung amazingly away from his opponent to shoot the ball into the far corner after a rush.
sport">Shortly afterwards, Frenkie de Jong had a great chance at the 3-0, but did not get his foot full enough behind the ball after a pass from Ousmane Dembélé. The Dutchman also seemed to opt for a pass to a fellow player at the far post. Just before that, Elche had killed the biggest chance of the first half. The completely detached defender Enzo Roco fired hard from a free kick.
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Elche came back from 2-0 to 2-2 within two minutes in the second half.
Ⓒ HH/ANP
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sport">Barca went into halftime 2-0. Nothing to worry about, you might say. But with the current FC Barcelona there is never any certainty. Not even against the number 16 of La Liga, Elche, in their own stadium. Within two minutes, the home side managed to squander a margin of two. Tete Morente and Pere Milla became (for a moment) the heroes of Elche, with a top goalkeeper like Marc-André Ter Stegen looking bad at the second goal.
sport">Then it also went against Jutglà, when he got a sure-seeming 3-2 over the goal from two meters away. How was it possible? Within minutes, Camp Nou had once again become a place full of disbelief and dismay. Frenkie de Jong was substituted for the first time under Xavi fifteen minutes before the end, after a bad performance for him.
sport">Jutglà’s status seemed to have gone from hero to schlemiel after his miss (although you can’t fault him much as a starting debutant), but his replacement Nico Gonzalez saved Barça from another blunder. To the relief of those present at Camp Nou.
sport">View here the standings, results and the program in La Liga.
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