A left-footed shot from the Brazilian winger gives Barça the win against Real Madrid without ideas
Another classic. That was seen in Las Vegas. Real Madrid and Barça chose to face each other again in pre-season and where better to do that than in the city of the game. There was a gathering of premieres. It was for Robert Lewandowski, Rüdiger and Tchouameni, all starters in a match that went from more to less, but with sections of real vertigo before a friendly bet. In this context, Xavi’s side shined, winning the first game thanks to a brilliant goal by Raphinha from outside the penalty area in the first half.
In the Allegiant Stadium, a match was played with the characteristics of both teams. Xavi set up his usual 4-3-3 with Busquets, Gavi and Pedri in midfield and a great attack made up of Ansu Fati, Raphinha and Lewandowski. The elf was a message, but also the approach. Barça came out with high pressure, trying to make the other field uncomfortable and with a sharp fang thanks to all the talent it brings together, well, on the attacking plot. It is in that place where a star was born for the Catalans. Raphinha is overflow, freshness and imagination. It’s a loose verse that always bothered his pair on the left and that an unattractive left-footed shot was taken out of the hat for Courtois at the first substitution. It was the climax for a side that left good feelings in the first half and only needed to find Lewandowski in better positions in front of goal to embroider Xavi’s plans.
Courtois; Lucas (Odriozola, min. 70), Rüdiger (Mendy, min. 46), Militao (Jesús Vallejo, min. 61), Alaba (Nacho, min. 46); Tchouaméni (Casemiro, min. 46), Camavinga (Kroos, min. 46), Valverde (Modric, min. 46); Rodrygo (Ceballos, min. 70), Hazard (Asensio, min. 46) and Vinicius (Mariano, min. 70).
Ter Stegen (Iñaki Pena. Min. 62); Araujo (Dest, min. 62), Eric (Piqué, min. 62), Christensen (Frenkie de Jong, min. 46), Alba (Balde, min. 46); Busquets (Nico, min. 62), Pedri (Sergi Roberto, min. 62), Gavi (Kessié, min. 46), Raphinha (Memphis, min. 62), Ansu (Dembélé, min. 46) and Lewandowski (Aubameyang, min 46).
That goal culminated in the Blaugrana’s superiority against Real Madrid who lacked rhythm in their first game of the season. The whites debuted without Benzema and Carvajal, both left at the last minute, but did so with an elf in which Carlo Ancelotti could test. Rüdiger was a left back, he started Unit B in midfield with Tchouaméni, Camavinga and Fede Valverde and in attack the great novelty was that Hazard acted as a false 9. The experiment went half way because the meringues prevented the rapid circulation of his rival, but they did know how to be harmful in transitions thanks to the speed of Vinicius and Rodrygo and the verticality of Fede Valverde who could overtake his team with a shoe that crashed in the woods.
The second half was a completely different game, it was much more of a pre-season commitment. It was because Ancelotti and Xavi started a carousel of changes that led to a 180-degree turn in the script of the meeting. The Italian coach wanted to put a stop to the dynamics of the first half with a stroke of the pen and did so by bringing in Casemiro, Kroos and Modric, three players who gave the Whites more balance and caused the pace to drop quickly. Real Madrid also took the opportunity to give minutes to less common footballers, including the presence of players who still have their futures in the air, such as Mariano, Ceballos, Asensio or Odrizola, and they made a change through their full-backs with the aim of evading the Blaugrana’s first pressure. The plan worked, but there was a lack of depth to disrupt the rival target and reverse the clash.
Xavi was no stranger to the new screenplay. He knocked out a Lewandowski who was participating and gradually adjusted the eleven until he left a flat team in the final stretch of the match. De Kessié, Sergi Roberto, Nico, Memphis and Company still do not have the automatisms that the starting footballers have for those of Tarrasa and that was blamed by a predictable Barça in their attacks. Only Dembele, very focused on running behind Mendy’s back, was able to upset Courtois, who prevented Mosquito from closing the game in the final minutes with two right hands on the run. It was the end of a game that went from more to less, but in which the first conclusions of the two giants of Spanish football could already be drawn.
Source: La Verdad
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