“Prove me wrong.” In the seventeenth game, after two painful defeats, Koeman tried his luck with the 4-3-3. It will be said that the Dutchman has endured with his beloved 4-2-3-1 until the pressure in the locker room has softened him, which the players have re-imposed. But in reality the technician has also worked out an argument to return to his favorite drawing. “Against Levante I put you as you wanted and you suffered to win,” he will be able to tell his footballers. And he will be right, although someone will have to remind him that Braithwaite is not extreme and that Riqui Puig or Aleñá – zero minutes – play better indoors than Griezmann.
Celebration without a smile. Messi’s third goal in a row this season has meant three points to cut distances in the standings. The Argentine has solved an awkward match thanks to the faith of De Jong in a pressure and thanks to a rabid shot that has passed Aitor Fernández, the goalkeeper who makes the most stops in the League. On the 10th he celebrated the target with his fist clenched and his face serious, aware that he had broken a streak that was too frustrating for his voracity and that at the same time it was symptomatic of a Barça in crisis. He has four games left in 2020, four seasons to see if Messi smiles again. Not even at the time when he had to overcome Pelé’s 642 goals with Santos.
Porter de futbol sala. Messi saved Barça from losing points for the first time in their history at home against Levante, but if the frogs did not reach the break with the favorable score it was thanks to Marc-André ter Stegen. The Barça goalkeeper neutralized the clearest opportunity of the first half, the work of De Frutos, with a break more typical of futsal than football. He has grown up to cover the hole and has provoked a civil service shot that the frog striker will regret all week. The German has already repaired the mistake of the day of Cadiz, in which a misunderstanding with Lenglet caused the 2-1.
Again the VAR. Despite the final victory, Barça had to regret another curious performance by the VAR in the match against Levante. With 0-0 on the scoreboard and pressed by Braithwaite, Rubén Vezo tried to refuse a header when he fell on the grass, but instead of hitting the ball with his forehead he did it with his hand. All within the area of Aitor Fernández. De Burgos Bengoetxea did not say anything, but asked for the second opinion of Jaime Latre, the referee in Las Rozas, who let the game continue. Hadn’t we been left with all hands pointed now? Help to understand the regulations, please.
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