SECOND 'PUNCTURE' FOLLOWED IN THE LEAGUE

New 'stumble' against Valencia for a frustrated Barça without aim (1-1)

Published:16/12/2023 - 22:56h

Updated:17/12/2023 - 07:55h

FC Barcelona signs its third 'puncture' in a row in LaLiga and third in all competitions. The frustration and inability to close the games punish a Barça team that leaves Mestalla very 'touched'

The FC Barcelona has not been able to go out reinforced of Mestalla, although they have with the third square of LaLiga ensured. They have not achieved to impose no only to Valencia, neither to the ghosts that came pursuing to the team in the last weeks. The group culé does not find the formula to feel entirely comfortable and is a new step backwards. The Barça does not know how close a party and leaves hurt too easy. And this is a big problem.

And it is that it has confirmed , once and as always, that the football also is a state of spirit and for the Barça was a life or death in Valencia. In you win them it noticed , but no so much in the efficiency. Xavi Hernández configured a XI with all his 'heavy weights' and a solo change with regard to the parties 'big' previous: the presence of Alejandro Balde in the left band and the return of Joao Cancel to his natural habitat. Everything seemed 'identical', except a modification in the initial role of Pedri and Gündogan. The Tenerifean split much more hit to Of Jong and the Teutonic near of the area. The plan did not finish giving the result expected.

Initial suffering for the Barça in Mestalla

It was an important bet, but this no 'avoided' that the team suffered, of beginning, something to what already is accustoming. Valencia jumped to the field with too much impetus, and did to suffer more than the account to the Barcelona in a beginning of frantic party in which they enjoyed of several opportunities. The alluvium of occasions converted to Mamardashvili and Iñaki Crag in the heroes of the beginning of party. Because both groups could advance in several opportunities.

The picture 'ché' was the one who more proposed and dominated, almost without opposition in the first minutes. They took advantage of of the embarrassment of the culés and also of the difficulties to keep 'together' and avoid that the field did so long. The difference saw immediately after a 'distraction' of a Barça that, while it asked a kickoff of band, left that all Valencia put in the area of Crag. Jesús Vázquez put a pass of the death for Yaremchuk, but the guardameta of Alicante dressed of hero with a manopla.

Distribution of occasions between Barça and Valencia

To the Catalans cost them go in in heat and settle in the party, but there was an important difference: they Were loading of balloons to Lewandowski, the one who had several opportunities, without luck by failure in the definition or by the intervention of Mamardashvili. First it went with a shot ue brushed the left stick, afterwards with a finish from the frontal that detained the georgiano and, the clearest, to the half hour with a volley -after a big pass of Gündogan- in which it also reacted the local goalkeeper favorablemente.

In spite of the three occasions, the problem of the Barça was that it suffered when Valencia went in career and jointed players in the area. The ones of Rubén Stirs had clear occasions for 'condition' to his rival and, between Fran Pérez and Hugo Hard, condemned to the Barcelona that saw him run sideways without being able to detain them. Fortunately, there were not consequences... And they finished celebrating shortly after the resumption of the clash after some very accelerated minutes.

The goals, in the second part

The ones of Xavi Hernández jumped to the field to impose and, this time, yes achieved it. And it is that only they happened ten minutes in the clock so that the marker moved , after shy approaches. Frenkie Of Jong commissioned to put the magic, with an imperial pass with the outside of his boot to surpass to the defensive saga 'ché'. It found the desmarque of Raphinha so that it gave the pass of the death to a Joao Félix that only it had to push the balloon to nail it to the deepest of the network.

The goal established the calm for a Barça that was accustoming , in these last presentations, to suffer a minute yes and another also. In Mestalla, with the marker in favour, achieved to leave a feeling of tranquility and command in front of a rival that began to commit errors and that lost key balloons... But this to surrender was not in the dictionary of the venues. And they got in trouble to the ones of Xavi Hernández that went back to remain frustrated in the technical zone.

The history twisted when, in the 70', Hugo Guillamón collected the balloon in the frontal of the area to do with a gap, where did not seem to exist, and command a potentísimo finish with thread to plant the balloon in the square. Iñaki Crag could not do at all and from the VAR reviewed the played by a possible offside of Fran Pérez when it began the played, but was in statutory position. And it went the worst stage for a Barça that, although it continued adding opportunities, lived the problem of every night: the fault of efficiency. A night like the ones of always, in a different stage.

Technical index card of the party: Valencia 1-1 FC Barcelona

Valencia CF: Mamardashvili; Thierry, Diakhaby, Mosquera, Vázquez; Pepelu, Guillamón, Fran Pérez; Yaremchuk, Diego López and Hugo Hard
FC Barcelona: Iñaki Crag; I Cancel, Araujo, Koundé, Balde; Pedri, Of Jong, Gündogan; Raphinha, Lewandowski and Joao Félix.
Referee: Ortiz Arias
Incidences: corresponding Party to the day 17 of LaLiga 2023-2024.
Goals of the party: 0-1, Joao Félix (min. 55); 1-1, Hugo Guillamón (min. 70)