LIGA – Despite a more successful meeting than the previous ones, Barça still dropped points on Saturday against Celta Vigo (2-2). What to regret the Blaugrana and their coach Quique Setién, while Real Madrid has the opportunity to take the lead on Sunday…
Barça is in progress. But as the La Liga finish line unfolds on the horizon, he simply cannot be satisfied with it. Because the time is right for the results and, from this point of view, the Blaugrana are still idling. Saturday, the men of Quique Sétien, despite a more successful performance than the previous ones, again dropped points on the lawn of Celta Vigo (2-2), cursed land where they have not managed to win for five years. Real Madrid, moving on the lawn of the red lantern, Espanyol Barcelona, on Sunday, can take two points ahead six days before the end.
Regrets, the Catalans can have them. Because they undoubtedly delivered Saturday, in Vigo, their most convincing performance since the resumption of the Spanish championship. A few days after a tasteless draw in Seville (0-0) and a slow victory against Bilbao (1-0). And they owe it in part to the choices made by Quique Setién at kick-off. The blaugrana coach had chosen to trust his young guard, by aligning the young Riqui Puig (20 years old), celebrating his very first tenure in La Liga, and Ansu Fati (17 years old), preferred to an Antoine Griezmann more and more difficulty.
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Barça opens the door to Real
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Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Riqui Puig controls the ball during the Spanish League football match between Celta Vigo and Barcelona at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo on June 27, 2020
Credit: Getty Images
Fati and Puig convincing, Griezmann still on the floor
“Last week I was asked why Ansu Fati and Riqui Puig were not playing, to cite an example, and this week is Griezmann, said Setién at the post-match press conference. These are my decisions, it is not easy to choose. “ The choices of the former Betis coach however seemed to have been the right ones. Puig showed all his intelligence and his volume of play in the middle, and Fati, a real lane player, was threatening, especially in the first half. Is it a coincidence that Barça suffered after their release?
But the FCB also failed to be carried by its tauliers, and its duo Suarez-Messi. The first, operated on the knee on January 12, scored his first goals since the recovery, and brought his total to 13 goals. The latter delivered his 16th and 17th assists in La Liga, and finds himself one unit from his personal best in 2010/2011 and 2014/2015. But now: Barça, betrayed by its defensive excitement, ended up conceding a draw in the last minutes. Before making a huge fright a few seconds before the end of the game following a strike, at close range, ill-adjusted by Nolito and released by an always essential Marc-André ter Stegen. “Was football unfair to us? I believe so”, blew Setién, bitter.
Luis Suárez (Barcelona), goalscorer against Celta Vigo
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The Suarez spike in Setién
All of this progress was shattered in the 88th minute. And, now, all eyes are on Real, moving on the lawn of the historic rival, Espanyol Barcelona, Sunday (22h). The Merengue can take two points ahead. It could count, six days before the end of the championship, especially since the people of Madrid have a more affordable calendar. For Setién, nothing is played and only the green rectangle will be the law. “We still need our rival to win, but it will be him who will be ahead with two points ahead. We will have a reduced margin of error. We must say that we have to win everything, because your opponent can also win everything. “
Bad news for Barça. He will still pass a serious test against Atlético de Madrid by Diego Simeone, next Tuesday at Camp Nou. This duel, facing an opponent in form, will not lack spice. And beware of the faux pas. Because despite the progress and its excellent record in its lair (15 wins, 1 draw, the best record in La Liga this season), Barça undoubtedly pitched. The case Griezmann, author of a bland new entry into play at Balaidos, asks questions, and his coach seems to be annoyed. “I don’t care if recruits are expensive or not. These are technical decisions.” Luis Suarez, launched a barely masked spade to his coach in the post-match: “What’s wrong with us? To find out, there are the coaches to analyze the situations …” Ambiance.
FC Barcelona – Celta Vigo
Credit: Getty Images
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Substitute Griezmann facing Celta Vigo, Puig and Fati start
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League
Riqui Puig, symbol of the paradox that never stops eating away at Barça
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