Although he tiptoes through the games, João Félix usually leaves an intoxicating trail with his delicate football and his seductive goals, some decisive like the one against Cádiz. The Portuguese’s excellent goal cleared the Barça path in search of Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League and the Bernabéu in the League. The Blaugrana do not give up on the eve of the Clásico, even though Real Madrid does not give up points either. With seven games left, the difference is eight points after the two big teams resolved their respective exits with the same score of 0-1.
0
Jeremias Ledesma, Javi Hernández, Iza, Victor Chust (Lucas Pires, min. 83), Aiham Ousou, Rubén Alcaraz, Álex Fernández (Diadie Samassekou, min. 76), Rubén Sobrino, Robert Navarro (Machís, min. 76), Chris Ramos (Maxi Gómez, min. 51) and Juanmi (Roger, min. 76)
1
Ter Stegen, A. Christensen (Koundé, min. 61), Pau Cubarsí, Hector Fort (Pedri, min. 62), Marcos Alonso, Sergi Roberto, Oriol Romeu, Fermín López, Vitor Roque, Ferrán Torres and João Félix (Marc Casado , min. 85)
Goals 0-1 min. 36: João Félix.
Referee Juan Luis Pulido Santana
Yellow cards Pau Cubarsí (min. 26), Sergi Roberto (min. 46), Javi Hernández (min. 64), Ter Stegen (min. 76) and Roger (min. 84)
Barcelona solves both the seemingly most difficult matches and also the simple ones, those in which victory is required regardless of the moment or the alignment, so-called interwar contests like that of the Nuevo Mirandilla. Despite the fact that their football wealth diminished, Xavi’s team did not lose its solidity or consistency against a Cádiz team that could not find a way to beat Ter Stegen. The Andalusians went through the game many times without finding Barcelona’s goal on the day when they could have caught Celta.
Xavi risked a lot with the eleven, once he knew that Madrid had won in Mallorca, because he brought together several substitutes with some unusual players, such as Marcos Alonso and Vitor Roque, and three starters last Wednesday in Paris: goalkeeper Ter Stegen; captain Sergi Roberto, suspended for Tuesday’s European match, and center back Cubarsí. “We need legs and energy,” argued Óscar Hernández, brother of the Barça coach. The fatigue of the Champions League weighed as much as the card absences of João Cancelo, Iñigo Martínez and Lewandowski for a very demanding event due to Cádiz’s need for points, which is fighting to escape relegation in a fight with Celta.
The two teams fought more than played in a high-tension setting such as Nuevo Mirandilla. Cádiz was perhaps more aggressive and supportive, less contemplative than Barcelona. Although there were no chances, not even shots on goal in a match without rhythm, the Barça defense was more demanding than the one set up by Pellegrino. Cádiz did not bend and instead Pau Cubarsí, so scrupulous that he hardly commits fouls, the player in whom Barça’s style is most recognized, was cautioned with a yellow card for the first time in the League. At half an hour, Cadiz’s productivity was reduced in any case to a shot by Javi Hernández that Ter Stegen neutralized.
There was no risk or inventiveness until João Félix appeared. The Portuguese hit a bicycle kick on a ball touched by a defender coming off a corner and beat Ledesma. The technical gesture was as colorful as it was difficult because João Félix won the position and disappeared between Iza and Javi Hernández to set up the leg and make it 0-1. Equally admirable was Sergi Roberto’s header that left the ball open for Fermín’s shot. Chust’s intervention on the goal line prevented the Andalusian midfielder from scoring, always generous in his effort and unmarking, reaching and finishing against Ledesma. The combination football of the Blaugrana ended up subduing the physical and vertical game of Cádiz
The break did not initially wake up Cádiz, the lowest scoring team in the League, while Xavi and Óscar began to look to the bench to activate the changes with a view to PSG and Madrid. The Andalusians scored after a goal disallowed due to offside by Juanmi and the Blaugrana entrusted themselves to the selective and unbalancing leadership of João Félix. Just when the fans were getting louder, Lamine Yamal, Koundé and Pedri appeared on the scene to improve Barcelona’s photography. The Blaugrana, more busy controlling the game than closing the game, became overconfident and exposed themselves to an uneven play in Ter Stegen’s area.
The best guarantee for Barcelona was the omnipresence of Fermín. Cádiz had no choice but to advance the lines and push with the refreshment players chosen by Pellegrino in search of a final outburst in the face of the impatience of the Nuevo Mirandilla fans. The tie did not come because Ter Stegen responded with a wonderful save to a curled shot from Samassekou. There was practically no news on the Barcelona attackers, not even when Raphinha, the hero of the Parc des Princes, came out.
There are few teams, after all, that know how to play with 1-0 or 0-1, a score that has been repeated up to 11 times this season and which already helped them win the last League. Cádiz’s hopes ended in a corner kick awarded by the young Casadó who joined in the last minutes to defend Barça’s minimal victory.
You can follow The USA Print in Facebook and xor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.
