Review of Barça against Antwerp to close the group stage of the Youth League (0-3)

The Juvenile To of the FC Barcelona has concluded his participation in the phase of groups of the UEFA Youth League with a victory on the Amberes (0-3). The goals were annotated by Hugo Alba in the minute 17, Dani Rodríguez to the 24' and Juan Hernández to the 90+2', ensuring the victory for the Barcelona. The Barcelona cast finished like this in the second place of the Group H with 15 points and a difference of goals of +7, being surpassed by the Port wine, that in spite of having the same quantity of points, has a difference of goals of +12.

The ones of Óscar López arrived to the meeting in the Herman Vanderpoorten with at least five drops, since Ángel Alarcón, Marc Guiu, Pau Cubarsí, Héctor Fort and the goalkeeper Diego Kochen were summoned to the first team. Besides, Andrés Cuenca neither formed part of the team that travelled to Belgium. However, these absences did not prevent that the culés deployed his style of game of effective way.

Hugo Alba 'opened the tin' for the Barça in Belgium

The culés quickly took possession of the balloon, while the Amberes expected patiently in his field, attending the attempts of offensive incursions of the Barça. To the nine minutes, the Catalan cast would have his first opportunity of danger with a finish with the outside of his booty courtesy of Hugo Alba, that was very near to open the marker.

It was precisely the native of Petrel the one who would give him the first joy of the day to his combined. To the 17' the forward would take advantage of a pass between lines of Marc Bernal and, with the guardameta Niels Devalckeneer on, attained to define 'in extremis' with a subtle finish of left leg, leaving without options to the Belgian goalkeeper.

GOAL! Hugo Alba gives Barcelona the lead. Great assist by Marc Bernal. 0-1 pic.twitter.com/khmqc29ded

— ArsenKveFCB (@ArsenKveFCB) December 13, 2023

Dani Rodríguez went back to appear in the Youth League

After this annotation, the blaugranas continued controlling the game through the possession, looking for expand the advantage in the marker, which would attain to the minute 25 thanks to a stood out performance of one of the big figures of the team, Dani Rodríguez. The one of Astigarraga took advantage of a direct fault from the edge of the area and desenfundó a big whiplash of left leg, having some complicity of Devalckeneer, whose rejection was not conclusive and allowed that the balloon colara finally in his goal.

Goal! Dani Rodriguez scores to free-kick. 0-2 pic.twitter.com/4ogt0npzh9

— ArsenKveFCB (@ArsenKveFCB) December 13, 2023

With the target of Rodríguez, the commitment purchased a rhythm a bit more appeased. Although the Amberes began to have greater possession of the ball and showed signs of reaction, did not attain to upset the goal of a Barça solid in defence, that did of the management of the balloon his main ally in the first-half.

Juan Hernández put definite figures to the duel

After the rest, the party kept a slow rhythm, although the Belgian tried to offer something different. In the minute 54, Gerard Vandeplas put to proof to Aarón Alonso, guardameta Barcelona, but the action was invalidated by offside. It did not go until the minute 68 that saw again an action of danger by part of the Barça, with a remarkable cut across of Devalckeneer to avoid the 0-3 after a big head butt of Dani Rodríguez, that was retorted almost to the instant by the Amberes.

From this moment, the meeting went back very contested, but in his majority lacked big occasions of danger. It was not but to the end of the meeting, in the minute 90+2, that Juan Hernández, the one who had tried it in more than two occasions without luck, attained to convert the third and definite annotation of the meeting. It organised a wall inside the area with Óscar Gistau and, once broken the defensive and partially free line of mark, executed a finish of impossible right leg to detain for Devalckneer, sealing like this the deserved victory culé.

GOAL! Beautiful by Juan Hernandez who scores the third for Barcelona. Assist by Oscar Gistau. 0-3 pic.twitter.com/mkwajhptsd

— ArsenKveFCB (@ArsenKveFCB) December 13, 2023