The desired Champions League awakened the most beastly and passionate version of Barça in a match to remember at the Camp Nou. The forceful football of the Blaugranas brought down a very good team like Newcastle. The Barcelona goals fell without pause or mercy as if directly at the chin of the English until they counted seven, after the two teams had fought in a spectacular exchange of blows, without reservations, until reaching the break with a 3-2. Once back on the field, Barça once again became the Barça of Flick, of Lamine, of Raphinha, of Pedri, of Fermín, of Lewandowski, a team as recognizable as it was unbridled and ambitious, the same one that generated so many emotions last year in Barcelona fans and in Europe.
7
Joan García (Wojciech Szczesny, min. 81), Pau Cubarsí, Eric García (Ronald Araujo, min. 21), João Cancelo (Xavi Espart, min. 65), Gerard Martín, Marc Bernal, Raphinha, Pedri, Fermín López (Dani Olmo, min. 66), Lamine Yamal y Robert Lewandowski (Ferran Torres, min. 65)
2
Aaron Ramsdale, Lewis Hall, Malick Thiaw, Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier (Tino Livramento, min. 45), Joelinton (Sven Botman, min. 63), Jacob Ramsey, Sandro Tonali (Joe Willock, min. 54), Anthony Elanga (Jacob Murphy, min. 63), Anthony Gordon (William Osula, min. 80) y Harvey Barnes
Goals
1-0 min. 5: Raphinha. 1-1 min. 14: Anthony Elanga. 2-1 min. 17: Marc Bernal. 2-2 min. 27: Anthony Elanga. 3-2 min. 50: Fermin. 4-2 min. 51: Yamal Lamina. 5-2 min. 55: Lewandowski. 6-2 min. 60: Lewandowski. 7-2 min. 71: Raphinha
Referee François Letexier
yellow cards
Joelinton (16 min.), Cubarsí (43 min.), Trippier (49 min.), Joseph Willock (59 min.)
“Montjuïc was the beginning. Camp Nou is where history will be written,” Lamine had announced. The 10th wanted to turn the match into a personal matter and lit up the Spotify Camp Nou on its best night. The individual quality of Lamine and, , made the difference against Howe’s collective bet. Barcelona has many better players than Newcastle and it also has a proposal that is as brave as it is particular to Flick. A plan that provokes skepticism in many analysts because it is reckless and that, however, excites its players, fans and president Laporta. There is no better credential to be respected in any setting than a 7-2.
Newcastle contributed to the beautiful Barça cause, intimidating and aggressive in pressure, strong in hand-to-hand combat due to its physical quality, very vertical and willing to attack Joan García without stopping. Barça, however, was not the same team that suffered so much on the pitch of the magpiesbut he learned to decipher the individual marks on the divide with the dynamism of his steering wheels and the skill of Lamine. The effectiveness was equally decisive because the Blaugranas scored as soon as they reached the Ramsdale area. Lamine dropped into the media line, turned and put together a very lively transition that was continued by Raphinha and Fermín to end with a shot from the Brazilian into the Newcastle net.
The goal did not stop the attacks of the English team, especially offensive and fast on their left side, from where they began to enter and place crosses in the face of the helplessness of the injured Eric and then Araujo. The Blaugranas did not get it right when they pulled the offside line, surpassed by Hall’s wall with Barnes, and the cross cross was finished off by Elanga. The match became a duel with a lot of pace and little control, the teams were very tight, tied on the Camp Nou scoreboard. Bernal’s goal, who finished off a ball headed by Martín after a foul by Raphinha, was followed by Elanga’s equalizer, enabled by Gordon after a backheel from Lamine.
It was difficult for Barça to recover their spirits after the winger’s eccentricity that cost them 2-2. The blaugranas seemed too excited, impatient and repetitive in the losses, engaged in an exchange of blows especially grateful for Newcastle, a direct, dizzying team, fierce in attack and condescending in defense, because it allowed a good flow of shots to Barça. Although Lewandowski missed the mark, . The goal was a relief for the team and the Camp Nou fans, surprised by Newcastle’s affront.
Barcelona had had a very bad time because Pedri and Fermín did not come into play and, without pause or calm, madness and fun prevailed, the debauchery that so interests Howe’s boys. The blaugranas, however, corrected themselves at half-time and a more poised and serene team appeared, less anxious and accurate, impossible for Newcastle. The best timing and punch, as well as the finesse and speed with the ball, led to a captivating and sublime quarter of an hour, presided over by the depth of Fermín, the claw of Raphinha and the mettle of Gerard Martín. The football festival was so packed that even Lewandowski recovered his aim in the face of the revelry at the Camp Nou.
There were goals of different kinds, from unmarking and set pieces, and also the injury to Joan García. There is no one to stop Barça when they start running and aim to finish each play with a goal until they count seven. It was enough to win and, however, an unprecedented score was recorded: 7-2. The captivating Barça performance allowed us to evoke the 2015 Berlin final. Barcelona fans dream again 10 years later of the Champions League.
