Thousands of Barça and Madrid fans at the impressive Allegiant Stadium filled their cell phone memories to capture a red-hot pre-season classic in more ways than one. Starting with an infernal ambient temperature, more than 35 degrees at seven in the afternoon, and ending with the high intensity that the two giants of state football have dedicated to an unofficial match and for economic reasons rather than sports. Madrid have just played their first match of preparation and it didn’t look like it, while Barça raised the competitive tone in relation to the two previous tests with Olot and Inter Miami. The eternal rivalry does not understand friendlies, it emerges in every dispute and can lead to brawls such as the one involving Busquets, Rodrygo, Araujo and Rüdiger at the end of the first half due to a foul on the edge by Jordi Alba on Vinícius.
This little joke has added even more spice to a first act that was already dying with enough complete enticements. It was Lewandowski’s first 45 minutes in the Barça shirt. The Pole wore the number 12 – number 9 still belongs to the transferable Memphis – but he did not disappoint as the spearhead of an attack line which Ansu Fati and Raphinha completed from the start. With only two training sessions on the grass with his new teammates, the former Bayern Munich man has opened the chapter of opportunities in the match – a shot that has called for a stretch of credit from Courtois – and has been a constant threat for Militao and Alaba, Madrid’s top defensive duo.
Minutes later, Ansu, who is playing less and less worried about relapsing, returned to the goal after good pressure from Pedri, but his final shot went too far. The Hispanoguinean and the Canarian played a decisive part in the action that finally broke the tie. In the 28th minute, they made Militao nervous when he came out from behind and the Madrid centre-back inadvertently enabled Raphinha, who from the front scored a goal through the box. The Brazilian, electric as in his debut, has made Courtois’ flight sterile and has once again warned Dembélé, that he will have to fight bravely to start.
Message from Xavi to De Jong
The Mosquito has been part of Barça’s first battery of changes. Xavi included him from the start in a second half in which Madrid also took turns. Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who in the first half only threatened with an isolated shot from Valverde that hit the post, have improved in construction thanks to the entry of the ever-present Kroos and Modric. As a result of this timid step forward, Asensio was on the verge of equalizing at the behest of Lucas Vázquez, but his definition was lost to the right of Ter Stegen, who returned to the dressing room with almost dirty gloves.
Beyond this opportunity from the Balearic Islands, the reigning European champions have not found any more clear paths to the rival goal. What’s more, if it wasn’t for Courtois, Barça would have widened the difference on the scoreboard. In the 73rd minute, the Belgian goalkeeper spat out a clear attempt by Kessie through Sergi Roberto. Both the Ivorian and the Reuse, by the way, have once again moved Frenkie de Jong to the defense, in a meridian message from Xavi to the Dutchman to pack his bags. Egarenc does not see it as essential. The complete opposite of Ancelotti to Courtois, who continues with the Superman cape and saved two more goals before the final whistle, one from Dembélé and another from Dest.
Barça will continue their American tour this Wednesday (2:30 p.m.) against Juventus in Dallas.
