Defensive 'master class'! Pau Cubarsí, deserved 'MVP' of the duel between Barcelona and Brest

Once again, FC Barcelona has secured victory in a UEFA Champions League match. On this occasion, the 'victim' of the culé team was the modest Stade Brestois, a team that entered the match against the blue and red team in the top positions of the tournament table, but couldn't cope with a Barça that demonstrated when in full form, it's practically unstoppable.

Anecdotally, although the match against Stade Brestois turned into an offensive feast, with Robert Lewandowski as the main protagonist scoring a brace, complemented by a goal from Dani Olmo, the standout player of the match was in the Barcelona's defense. Who was it? 17-year-old defender, Pau Cubarsí.

⭐ CUBARSÍ: PLAYER OF THE MATCH ⭐️ pic.com/OwLA3rK3Oz

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 26, 2024

Cubarsí once again shone with an impeccable performance in the UEFA Champions League, and it's no surprise. In the 90 minutes he faced, the young defender was crucial in the defensive line, even though he wasn't heavily tested in that aspect, except for a few specific challenges that he dealt with decisively. Furthermore, as always, his significant impact was seen in building the game from defense, where he once again provided a masterclass on leading the start of offensive actions for Barcelona.

Pau Cubarsí's stellar performance numbers against Stade Brestois

Pau, who left impeccable records in the match against Stade Brestois, registering two successful tackles and winning six out of the 13 duels he faced, also barely lost possession six times out of the 120 times he received the ball. Additionally, he stood out for his overwhelming passing accuracy, with 110 successful passes out of 115 attempted. He also excelled in long balls, completing 13 out of 15 attempts.

Now, at the end of the match, in the mixed zone and in front of the 'Movistar Liga de Campeones' cameras, Cubarsí expressed his surprise at being awarded the Most Valuable Player of the match, the second of his career. He stated that, although he received the award, any of his teammates could have also received it, given the excellent performance of everyone in what was an authentic standout match for all the members of Barcelona. "I didn't expect it, anyone could have taken it. Pedri and Lewandowski have been the best, but if I take it, I'm grateful," noted the culé '2'.

Cubarsí, a surprising MVP: "I didn't expect it, anyone could have taken it. @Pedri and @lewy_official have been the best, but if I take it, I'm grateful". #LaCasaDelFútbol #UCL pic.com/ryDs2stRav

— Fútbol en Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) November 26, 2024