Barcelona
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Ronald Koeman surprised with the line-up he presented. Especially for his decision to leave Ansu Fati on the bench in a game as decisive as the one played at the Camp Nou. A stumble before him Dynamo Kiev It practically meant the elimination of the Champions League due to the great distance with the rest of the rivals to reach the round of 16. It is true that the Dutch coach already recognized in the previous match that Fati was not there to play the three games (Valencia, Dinamo and Madrid) But the need for the Barça team made the match against the Ukrainians much more decisive than the one next Sunday against Ancelotti’s team. In addition, Fati comes out of an injury and the club’s medical services have set some guidelines and a Roadmap that keep wind and tide low. The planning was already agreed on the replacement of the striker in this game for several weeks and has been maintained despite the significance of the meeting. However, the ‘ansumania’ that right now the team suffers, forced Koeman to make him warm up with ten minutes to go to finish the first half. Barcelona could not find the goal and the Camp Nou demanded the presence of the Bisauguinean.
If Fati’s absence generated surprise, disappointment was the feeling that caused the choice of Luke de Jong to form the lead alongside Memphis Depay and Sergiño Dest, who returned to play as a winger, confirming Koeman’s shortcomings in attack. The coach’s decision was criticized even in the club’s official media. In fact, in the broadcast of the game on BarçaTV, two of his commentators were critical of Koeman’s decision. «I like to go back to 1-4-3-3 since the other day we played a mix. That said, I usually put myself in the coach’s shoes to understand him. He has replaced Sergi Roberto and has put Mingueza and Lenglet in. It is reasonable considering that he does not count on Umtiti at all. The center of the field is the same. The only one that I squeak is the presence of Luuk de Jong as a starting center forward. But I try to justify it with one fact: Dinamo’s center-backs are very tall, large, and a man is needed to fix the center-backs and to create space for the arrival of the second row, ”said Lluís Lainz, analyst and coach , on the club’s television. In the same medium it was pronounced Salvador Garcia Puig, former player of the Barça club: «I was surprised by the choice of eleven. Koeman already said that Ansu could not play all three games. The other day was the first game. And there is a big difference between a Barça with Ansu and a Barça without Ansu. Today is the fundamental party. I would have put Ansu Fati. Do not forget that this is very good on paper but we are tired of seeing the Sheriff winning at the Bernabéu, PSG could not with Brugge … Today is fundamental and, if I have three games (Valencia, Dinamo and Madrid), this is the most important. The others are not a life or death match and can be recovered. He has surprised me in such an important match. Barça with Ansu and without Ansu has nothing to do. We all have in mind the last games and the difficulties to generate danger. We need to score and win clearly. Koeman is the technician, I don’t have to say anything here. He has the power and he will have his reasons, but he has not ceased to amaze me ».
The passing of the game was giving the reason to the commentators. Luke de Jong He had the clearest chances and missed them all. The first in minute 18, finishing with a head out and only marking a precise center of Memphis. he had been booked for this type of auction. The second four minutes later, with a shot from outside the area that was blocked by the Dinamo goalkeeper. The third did not become an occasion but they took the ball from him inside the area, frustrating a great attack. The public began to get impatient and the noise took over the stadium every time the striker entered the game. The goal was from Piqué, in a play in which the Dane should have been the protagonist. The Catalan proved to be a better striker … Koeman saved him the whistles during a substitution and already left him in the locker room during the break. Ansu Fati replaced him.
The youth squad had a good chance (min. 54) but sinned as an individualist and decided to try an acrobatic shot that went very wide instead of passing the ball to Busquets or Coutinho, who were alone. Koeman’s monumental anger and the Barça captain, who reproached him for not passing the ball to him. Despite this, the entry of Fati gave Barcelona another air, with more mobility in attack and pressing Dinamo much more.
In the next few hours, Barcelona will announce the renewal agreement with Ansu Fati. The top executive of the Barcelona sports field, Mateu Alemany, traveled to Porto this week to meet with Mendes, the player’s agent and close the agreement. Fati will extend his relationship with the Catalan club until 2026 and his termination clause, like that of Pedri, will be billion euros, a prohibitive figure even for clubs as powerful as PSG, City or Chelsea. Laporta’s intention was to announce the agreement before the classic and celebrate an institutional act in which to stage the continuity of the squad.
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