There are comebacks that taste like glory, none so celebrated by the blaugrana people like the one obtained by Barça against Madrid, just when the Negreira case. The old Camp Nou still has the strength to support Xavi’s young team. The communion of the fans with the players has raised Barça to a leadership that Madrid will not be able to discuss either. The Barça ambition contrasted with the white contemplation in a game of a great correction because the environmental charge exalted the Barcelona fans without underestimating the whites -except for the reprehensible chants of the usual group- in the last play finished off by Kessié.
Complementary players like Kessié and Sergi Roberto, two midfielders, are as vital as the figures in a team that has headed for the title with a 12-point lead with 12 games remaining in the League. The blaugrana never gave up in a match of maximums such as the classic, the best way to certify their superiority in the championship, and defend their reputation from the Camp Nou. The fans sang the anthem a cappella and at the top of their lungs led their heroes to 2-1 to the applause of the box, which was not Florentino and Guardiola was. Madrid was away too long to discuss Barça’s victory.
The presence of Sergi Roberto as fourth midfielder was consistent with Xavi’s declaration of intent. The coach alluded to the stability of the team at a time of trembling in the club and preferred the Catalan midfielder, and his sense of positional play and ability to have the ball, over Kessié’s legs and also a versatile third striker like Ferran. The Barça line-up, after all, was circumstantial while Madrid has functioned for some time as an open book, which is activated depending on the rival and the tournament, distant from the League and closer to the Champions League.
El clásico awakened his long-suffering and lucky character in extreme situations when he found himself with an own goal from Araujo. The ball centered by Vinicius hit the Uruguayan’s head and surprised Ter Stegen. A strange action in full charge of Barcelona. The Catalans pressed high and hard and viciously finished off Courtois’s goal. The goalkeeper took two devilish shots from Lewandowski and Raphinha and narrowly missed a shot from Sergi Robert before the game went in favor of Ancelotti’s squad due to the misfortune of the safest footballer, Araujo.
Vinicius enlarged and even threw a pipe at Araujo when the contest had started to be successful for Madrid and threatening for Barcelona. The madridistas, however, became so comfortable, sheltered by the long arms of Courtois, that they seemed to be waiting for Barça to draw. The goalkeeper took a superb shot from Raphinha and absorbed the Barcelona crosses without stopping until the Brazilian persevered in his attack in the Madrid area. His rejection ended up at the feet of Sergi Roberto and made it 1-1. Madrid’s contemplative life was as manifest as Barça’s percussion.
In the absence of an inside game, the Catalans attacked, always stronger than fluid and also more reliable than erratic with leather, dominating the game and leaning towards the right, the side where Raphinha subdued Nacho. Madrid also breathed from time to time on the same side of the field when Vinicius was activated and faced Araujo in a duel of great suspense and nobility at the expectant Camp Nou. Possession, however, belonged to Barça. As soon as Madrid appeared, Ancelotti intervened quickly: he took Mendy out to better mark Raphinha and Rodrygo to shake Madrid’s attack from midpoint.
Although the Brazilian sharpened Madrid, Barcelona did not stop in their offensive, unwise and accurate in the same play, not very fluid and, nevertheless, reaching Courtois’ area. The Barça game, in any case, was out of adjustment more due to fatigue than to Madrid’s insult. Barça stopped too long and couldn’t find Lewandowski. The wheel of changes caused the game to turn for a moment in favor of Madrid. The Barcelona mismatches followed one another and Marco Asensio scored a goal annulled by VAR.
The scare in the Campo Nou caused an exchange of blows, an unequivocal sign that neither team was signing the tie, nor was Barcelona, who found the goal in an excellent play put together by Lewandowski and culminated by Kessié. The goal justified Barça’s continuity in the match and in the tournament against Madrid’s intermittents in a decisive clash for the League.
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