Barcelona had to put on its overalls to win a match that it had control over. After the first iconic offside play this season, which ended in a goal but did not score, Red Star was unable to reach Iñaki Peña’s goal. After 25 minutes, their statistics reflected zero in shots on goal, outside or rebounds, but the first one went into the net. The Serbian team managed to combine quickly: Seol, Ndiaye and Krunic, who was the one who filtered the final pass that Silas scored, escaping the illegal position trap. It was broken by Gerard Martín, one of the new additions to Flick’s lineup. Iñaki Peña also made a strange movement, as if he were out of position, and almost moved away instead of trying to catch the ball.
This made it difficult for Barcelona to play a game that until then had been almost a monologue. The first goal had arrived in a action from a set piece, in a wonderful header from Iñigo Martínezwith a skillful turn of the neck to give it effect, since it was almost without an angle, after Raphinha’s center. The sensations were even better than the result. The Spanish team pressed the pressure, with Marc Casado at the forefront of that work, and it was only played in one direction: that of goalkeeper Ilic. Lamine Yamal was the one who provided the fantasy and the match seemed to be waiting to see how the second would come. But what came was the tie and for a few minutes Barça was confused. Red Star managed to have more of the ball. He was encouraged by the result to go further and that also made him leave more space, which transformed the match into a round trip that, in the end, did not seem like a bad plan for Flick’s boys, due to the difference in quality. There are few in today’s football that you have more than Lamine. The young winger borders on the “Maradonian” play in each game and scares his rivals. His arrival from the right made the Serbs retreat and Raphinha’s shot was saved by Lewandowski after it hit the post. Opportunist, from “9”, the Polish attacker is still on a roll.
It would not be the last association between the trio of Barça attackers. More clear was the one at the beginning of the second half, which the forward sent out when the goal was already called. Barça was not there for jokes. Flick pulled his team’s ears after the relaxation of the last day against Espanyol, and it was not repeated until everything was decided. Lewandowski did not forgive the next one, who only had to push Koundé’s center; and neither did Raphinha, also assisted by the Frenchman, although his shot was more complicated. But the Brazilian is very inspired, like his Polish colleague: they see the huge goal and almost everything they touch goes in. Lamine had been at the origin of the last three goals.
Barcelona showed off its trident at the Little Maracaná and is climbing positions in this strange Champions League in which no one knows what it will take to qualify. He is already in direct qualifying positions for the round of 16.
It wasn’t over Koundé’s exhibition of definitive passesa great defender who is getting along wonderfully with Lamine in attack. His third assist was finished off by Fermín. Afterwards, Milson gave himself a tribute with a great goal that surely bothered Flick. The German, yes, gave minutes to players who need it like De Jong (starter) and Gavi.