Pedri

FC Barcelona lost (3-2) this Wednesday against Antwerp on the last day of Group H of the Champions League, still achieving first place ahead of the draw for the round of 16 but leaving a good dose of credit.

The Barça team was surpassed by the bottom team, a team that added its first three points being much better than a Barça team in low hours: without a goal or defense. Xavi Hernández’s men were trailing from minute 2 of the match and, with another error by Oriol Romeu, they conceded the second after the restart. The entry of starters in the final stretch did not prevent an even more embarrassing outcome on a night that should have been a celebration for first place.

Xavi’s team lost a good opportunity to regain some confidence, with hardly anything at stake because the lead was assured except for Shakhtar’s defeat of Porto, in a Champions League match away from home. Far from home but against the bottom team, Barça started with the uncertainty that surrounds it in terms of the game and performance of a League champion team a few months ago.

The rotations did not help and in the first minute, debutant Héctor Fort was overwhelmed on the right wing and Antwerp miraculously did not score. The shot in the foot was hit almost immediately by Iñaki Peña, with a complicated ball for Oriol Romeu that brought about the local steal and Vermeeren’s goal after two minutes (1-0).

Barça did not shoot on goal until the 35th minute, after a Belgian corner kick, when Ferran made it 1-1, culminating a good counter and pass from Lamine Yamal. The previous average bordered on the absurdity of the leader of the group, first with haste and turnovers and, when he already had possession, unable to find depth.

After the defeat against Girona, Xavi’s team continued to show a weak pressing capacity and a general confusion in defense. On the other hand, Antwerp knew how to push well up front and Vermeeren forgave the double. A handball that went unnoticed could have given Barça a penalty, but the VAR did not insist enough and on the counter-attack a 1-1 result came from a Ferran who defined well.

Far from improving the culé panorama, the resumption brought a local team still very motivated, with a very lively half-stand, with an entire side empty due to a dispute with the owner of the land. The incredulous smiles of the 1-0 scoreline evolved at the expense of an ineffective Barça and the Belgians felt invincible at times, with the score being 2-1 in the 56th minute.

The locals warned with a goal disallowed due to a millimeter offside, but Janssen unleashed euphoria in the Bosuilstadion. Oriol Romeu came out once again, losing the ball in the wrong place, and the culé defense once again broke down against Vermeeren, Yusuf, Kerk, Janssen and a stellar Ejuke. Xavi brought in Pedri, Cancelo and Gundogan but the reaction effect was fleeting.

The Canarian entered inspired, breaking lines, but not the Portuguese or the German, with a slow pace far from what a comeback in Europe required. Pedri himself forgave the clearest one, after a drop shot by Lewandowski, before the Pole gave way to Marc Guiu. Without jeopardizing first place, Barça did not want to spoil the Antwerp party, even though it is not there to rave about.

Marc Guiu, the man with the record debut in the League, scored again with a great header already in stoppage time, but on the kick-off, the Belgian team made it 3-2 through Ilenikhena. Another step back for Xavi’s team, despite achieving the goal of first place in the round of 16 thanks to the fact that they had won the ‘goal average’ with a Porto team that beat Shakhtar Donetsk (5-3).

2023-12-14 07:07:56
#Credit #loss #Antwerp