Celta punishes a less fierce Barça

FC Barcelona drew (2-2) against RC Celta this Saturday on matchday 14 of LaLiga EA Sports held at the Abanca Balaídos Stadium, a complicated ballot that the leader seemed to resolve with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha but that gave another turn to five minutes from the end with an expulsion and two local goals.

Hansi Flick’s team showed the classic hangover after the national team break, not wanting to run much, and the strength of its two fittest players was not enough to forget the setback at the Reale Arena in a second consecutive demanding start. Alfon and Hugo Álvarez scored in the 84th minute, after a gift from Koundé, and in the 86th minute, with Barça with 10 for Marc Casadó’s second yellow card.

The culé team opened the door further for their pursuers in Vigo, where they have only added two victories in their last 10 visits, with 34 points compared to 29 for Atlético and 27 for a Real Madrid with two games less. Meanwhile, Celta, who asked for a penalty and an expulsion from Gerard Martín in the first half, showed faith and team to be one of the contenders for the European zone of the table.

It seemed clear that Barça was going to suffer and this was confirmed in the first half in Balaídos, despite the fact that the leader was 0-1 at half-time thanks to Raphinha’s state of grace. Flick’s team started with very high pressure trying to bite, but Celta had done their homework and followed their plan.

The locals saved that high line and took advantage of the doubts that there could be in a Barça returning from a break after the defeat against Real and in an exit that has been choking. The famous advanced defense of the Catalans showed all these factors to distrust their actions and, despite the task of bailing out by Iñigo Martínez, Claudio Giráldez’s men arrived with danger.

In fact, after three minutes, Aspas gave up a very clear one after a first-time cross from Mingueza and, instantly, Douvikas had another. The intensity to steal was heavenly while Barça did not finish finding Dani Olmo far from the action on the left wing and with a heavy-legged Pedri. The Catalans once again missed the injured Lamine Yamal. The Barça team was not comfortable but a long pass from Koundé made it good for Raphinha with the score 0-1 after fifteen minutes.

The Brazilian made it easy against a Mingueza perhaps confused by the wind that bothered the Vigo fiefdom, a bit vital that seemed scarce. Celta came close to scoring again with Hugo Álvarez and Ilaix Moriba, and Iago Aspas claimed a penalty from Gerard Martín. A dance couple that met again at the end of the first half, with the Galician claiming a second yellow card.

The Celta captain, still hot from that maximum penalty he had claimed, fumed and with him all Balaídos on the way to the locker room with the controversy served. The heavy legs began to be a general symptom in the Catalans and the time in the locker room certainly did not sit well. Barça came back cold and with many errors in getting the ball out that invited Celta to look for an equalizer.

IT WAS COMING AND IT ARRIVED EVEN IN EXTREMIS

With Héctor Fort replacing Gerard, just in case, the visiting team had more depth on the left wing and Olmo was able to go more to the middle, but Barça suffered without the ball. Balaídos pressed but in a turnover by Mingueza came the second visitor, a steal by Raphinha and 15th goal in the League by Lewandowski, the two most connected players in Europe, to the rescue of Flick’s team.

Celta burned cartridges and forgave again, with Alfon having just entered the field and with Hugo Álvarez, reaffirming Iñaki Peña between the sticks, who acted as the last defender in the first half and stopped the home team’s clear chances. Despite the 0-2 score, the clock ran slowly for a Barça team that, when it seemed like they had slept through the game with possession, awakened the ghosts of Balaídos.

Raphinha forgave the sentence, with a ball hit the post, and from there everything began to go wrong for Flick’s team. Casadó saw the second yellow, Koundé failed with a resounding mistake in Alfon’s 1-2 and the Barça defense clung to Hugo Álvarez’s 2-2 play. Borja Iglesias still had the celestial winning goal with a backheel, but Barça also paid for a day of hangover with the second consecutive setback in a League that is gaining excitement.

TECHNICAL SHEET.

–RESULT: RC CELTA, 2 – FC BARCELONA, 2. (0-1, at halftime).

–ALIGNMENTS.

RC VIGO CELT: Guaita; Javi Rodriguez, Starfelt, Mark Alonso, Mingueza; Fran Beltran (Hugo Sotelo, 76 minutes), Ilaix Moriba, Hugo Alvarez, Iago Aspas (Duran, 90 minutes), Douvikas (Borja Iglesias, 76 minutes) and Bamba (Alfon, 62 minutes)

FC BARCELONA: Iñaki Peña; Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Gerard Martín (Héctor Fort, descanso); Casadó, Gavi (De Jong, min.75), Pedri (Fermín, min.75), Raphinha, Dani Olmo (Torre, min.89) and Lewandowski (Pau Víctor, min.89).

–GOALS:

0 – 1, min.15, Raphinha.

0 – 2, min.60, Lewandowski.

1 – 2, min.84, Alfon.

2 – 2, min.86, Hugo Álvarez.

–REFEREE: Soto Grado (C. Riojano). He cautioned Aspas (min.45+1), Javi Rodríguez (min.60), Sotelo (min.87), Moriba (min.93) and Marcos Alonso (min.95) by RC Celta. And to Gerard (min.3), Casadó (min.75), Héctor Fort (min.80) and Fermín (min.91) at Barça. Casadó was sent off for a second yellow card (min.82).

–STADIUM: Abanca Balaídos Stadium, 24,573 spectators.