THE BARÇA DID HIS DUTIES IN THE PREMIÈRE

'Manita' and 'baile' from Barça to Antwerp to debut big in Champions League (5-0)

Published:19/09/2023 - 22:52h

Updated:23/09/2023 - 18:12h

The FC Barcelona did not have problems to add his first victory in the new season of the Champions League. The ones of Xavi 'amused' in his duel in front of the modest Amberes, with a Joao Félix that seems imparable

Xavi Hernández went back to the 'origins' with an offensive trident the past weekend in front of the Real Betis in which Joao Félix was the big protagonist of the goleada of the culés in front of the team sevillano. Accompanied in this opportunity of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, the one who went back to the Barcelona attack, the Portuguese showed that it has to keep on being headline, at least while it keep this initial level.

The ex leading colchonero had now the opportunity to première like goleador of the Barça in the Champions League and when it had fulfilled the minute 10 of the first time already Joao Félix was celebrating his second goal like player culé. After some minutes of no so much control for the ones of Xavi, thanks to the capacity of also keep the balloon by part of the Amberes, Gündogan enabled to the luso so that it opened the marker in the European debut of the Catalan club in this season.

The following minutes in the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Compannys were similar to what became before the first so much. Both teams alternated the possession of the balloon, until in the 19', less than 10 minutes afterwards, the midfield culé went back to take advantage of the position of Joao Félix like left extreme, the one who in this opportunity showed his vision of game.

The Portuguese went back to show that in the 4-3-3 the Barça can lose something more than control on a party in some moments but to the hour to attack is really conclusive. Half turn of the '14' and half centre so that Lewandowski did the 2-0 with a very effective volley with his right foot. The celebration of the Pole still was in the environment and Alejandro Balde was enabled by the left lane in the 22', initiating another big attack of the ones of Xavi.

Montjuïc Went back to mutter with the arrival of the culés again to the area of the Amberes afterwards that the side ingresara with the balloon dominated, looking for a pass backwards for Raphinha. The Brazilian remained without angle to look for a finish and tried a new centre, this time to the long stick, finding with the fortune of a detour in a Belgian defender and the 3-0 of the Barça, this time with a so much in own door.

As it could expect , the team of Xavi took some minutes for dosificar the efforts of the team, always with the lines advanced and trying recover the balloon the sooner possible, but already having the tranquility of the result. The Amberes took advantage of to arrive to the first half hour of the party without fitting a new goal and brake like this a rhythm that could leave it with a goleada against that it could be historical in the European competition.

In a tonic similar would happen the last minutes of the first-half, with continuous attacks of the Barça, but without arriving to a level of danger that could go back to activate the dynamic culé of the first 20 minutes of the meeting. With the Belgian much more near of his goalkeeper, arrived the horizontal passes between the mediocampistas and defenders of the Catalan team, having the verticality like an action surprise each pair of minutes.

The first time would finish with a solitary minute of addition, but before would arrive a shy finish of the Belgian team to Ter Stegen, and a big combination of the Barça. Balde Went back to find only near of the rival goal after a characteristic triangulation of the Barcelona team. The defender perhaps rushed and his finish finished with the balloon hitting the side of the network, in spite of the presence of some mates in better position.

The second half of the meeting would have an environment typical of a party that already was decided to 99%, although it continued with the Barça as clear dominador of the party. So much so to the 53' the team of Xavi would expand the goleada with the four goal of the crash, this time with Gavi like protagonist. The Andalusian, one of the best of the season up to now, finished of left-handed a balloon something divided inside the area and won to the guardameta rival with a shot that went in very near of the crossbar.

The goal seemed to wake up even more win them to mark more goals of the team culé and to the 66' would arrive the second 'manita' consecutive for the Barça afterwards that Raphinha installed in the right sector and in one against one planted a big past centre. Joao Félix showed also his dowries like striker and of head would mark his third goal like culé, being besides his first doublet in the City Condal.

So much the goal of Gavi like the one of the Portuguese caused that Xavi decided to dosificar the minutes for his headlines. However, the exits of Frenkie of Jong or the own Andalusian, did not change the dynamics of high pressure and like this followed arriving the new occasions of the Barça. Lamine Yamal had two very clear opportunities, but could not convert to aim a new record, whereas Fermín and Lewandowski also tried it, although they remained without the celebration by some centimetres.

Technical index card of the party: FC Barcelona 5-0 Amberes

FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen; I Cancel (Sergi Roberto, min. 76), Christensen, Koundé, Balde; Of Jong (Oriol Romeu, min. 57), Gavi (Fermín, min. 57); Gündogan, Joao Félix (Ferran Torres, min. 67), Lewandowski and Raphinha (Lamine Yamal, min. 67).
Amberes: Butez; Bataille (Kerk, min. 73), Alderweireld, Coulibaly, Wijndal; Keita, Vermeeren; Ekkelenkamp (Alhassan Yusuf, min. 60), Muja (Anthony Valencia, min. 83), Janssen (Ilenikhena, min. 60) and Balikwisha (Of Laet, min.60).
Referee: Radu Marian Petrescu.
Incidences: corresponding Party to the first day of the Champions League 2023-2024.
Goals of the party: 1-0: Joao Félix, (min. 11), 2-0: Robert Lewandowski, (min. 19), 3-0: Bataille P.P. (Min. 22), 4-0: Gavi (min. 53), 5-0: Joao Félix (min. 66)