Seville Spain.
FC Barcelona, thanks to Benito Villamar’s hard-fought victory over Betis at home (1-2), is further consolidated at the top of LaLiga, now temporarily eight points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. A game against Valencia remains in the first round.
Second-half goals from Brazil’s Rafael Diaz ‘Rabinha’ and Poland’s Robert Lewandowski saw Barcelona win a match they controlled and had the most attendance against rivals Verdiblanco. Almost at the end, but the French responded late with a Jules Conte own goal.
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Three weeks later they met again after the seminal of the Spanish Super Cup played in Riyadh, in a very even game (2-2), Barca won the penalty shootout, but now the appointment was in Benito Villamarin. With a very different atmosphere to the team coached by Xavi Hernandez.
They ended the first round with this clash and, regardless of the result, the Verdiblancos are in a tough fight to stay in the Champions League positions, with the Catalans taking the honors, having achieved their objectives and reaching this halfway point in the competition. Winter Champion title.
Nevertheless, these three points were a great climax to this first round and an important boost to start the second match, so the commitment was complete and the fight for the ball, although Barca saw it more clearly in this aspect against a rival. He tried to control and surprise, as in the counterpoint between Borja Iglesias and Brazilian Luis Henrique.
The visitors responded immediately with a good move between Brazil’s Rabinha and Petri, but the Canaries grabbed the ball and Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Silva snatched it away from him to keep the lead at 0-0, as the match looked to be progressing. Imbalance.
Sergio Canales could do just that, as did ex-Sevilla player Jules Conte, who was again able to get past Rabinha and Petri, both at close range, as did Kavi with another shot that went wide just before the break.
The game maintained a similar mood in the second half, with Barcelona’s ball playing well and Betis looking to break out quickly, and in the second half Petrie again found good tackles from Rui Silva, who hit a saving throw. After a great serve from a very toned Alejandro Balte, against the Barcelona striker’s shot.
Chile’s Manuel Pellegrini wanted to give his team some air, and after the first quarter of an hour he took Feige off the field after feeling some physical discomfort, and for Portuguese player William Carvalho, Juanmi Jimenez and Mexican Andres Guardado.
The movement of the pieces coincided with the goal Barca were looking for minutes later, and in action between the two looking for prominence, Balde’s cross from the left and Rafinha’s shot almost on target.
The Sevillian set-up blamed for several goals and Pellegrini made another three changes at the same time, the entry of Willian Jose, Sabali and Rodri, but as happened in the first movement from the bench, the visiting team immediately scored again.
Now it’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, back in LaLiga after a three-match suspension, and he’s been true to his appointment with a goal, his fourteenth in the competition putting him in front of the Gunners table.
It was 0-2 on eighty minutes and it looked like it was all over, but Senegalese Youssef Sabali made a cross into the visiting area, Kante controlled poorly on his chest in a play with no obvious danger, and the ball went into his goal. 85, the conflict revived an unexpected interest due to the push of local residents to search for the absent tie.
– Datasheet:
1 – Bettis: Rui Silva; Aitor Ruibal (Sabaly, m.77), Luiz Felipe, Pezzella, Abner; Guido Rodríguez, William Carvalho (Guardado, m.62); Luis Henrique (Rodri, m.77), Fekir (Juanmi, m.62), Canales; and Borja Iglesias (Willian Jose, m.77).
2 – Barcelona: Der Stegen; Koundé, Araújo, Christenses, Balde; De Jong, Sergio Busquets, Petri (Gessie, 90); Rabinha (Ansu Fati, m.81), Lewandowski and Kavi (Ferran, m.84).
Objectives: 0-1, m.65: Rabinha. 0-2, m.80: Lewandowski. 1-2, m.85: Counte, own goal.
Referee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoechea (Basque group). At the end of the game he sent off William Carvalho (m.95) with a straight red card from Pettick. In addition, he mentored locals Aitor Ruipal (m.66), Curtado (m.67) and Luis Felipe (m.69).
Incidents: Matchday seventeen of LaLiga Santander was suspended at the time due to a dispute over the Spanish Super Cup. 48,181 spectators attended Benito Villamar’s stadium.
