BARÇA HAD ITS REVENGE AT MONTILIVI
Girona 1-4 FC Barcelona: The best and worst of the match
Published:15/09/2024 - 22:32h
Updated:16/09/2024 - 04:43h
Barça had a practically perfect afternoon at Montilivi against Girona. The Catalans' victory left several high points, although there were also some low points. At FCBN we review them
FC Barcelona had an afternoon of many lights and few shadows at Montilivi. The Blaugrana squad obtained their 'revenge' against Girona, who last season caused two defeats to the Catalans by 4-2. However, Hansi Flick has managed to radically change the dynamics of the club, and under his orders the Catalans managed to beat Míchel's team with a resounding thrashing (1-4). At FCBN we review the highest and lowest points of the match:
The best of the match
The undefeated run of Flick's team. Without a doubt, the best news of the day is the perfect run of the Catalan team in LaLiga EA Sports. At the moment, the Blaugranas remain undefeated in the championship, adding 15 points out of 15 possible with a balance of 17 goals for and 4 against, distancing themselves four points from Real Madrid and signing the best league start since the 2020/21 season.
Pedri's goal. The Canary Islander scored the fourth and final goal of the match for the Catalans, being one of the most positive notes of the day. The midfielder is rediscovering his best form, and his new scoring facet can be of great use to the team. His goal against the Albirrojos was his second so far in the League, and this statistic will surely increase throughout the course of the season.
Lamine Yamal's brace. The Spanish-Moroccan was the star of the match, scoring the first two goals of the duel that ended up tipping the balance in favour of the Blaugranas. His magnificent finishes against the Girona team show a clear improvement in front of goal, and with both goals he already has three goals and four assists in the first five games of the championship.
Olmo's scoring streak. The player from Egar scored again at Montilivi, scoring his third goal in his third match wearing the Barça shirt. Since his debut in Vallecas, the attacker has 'punished' Rayo, Valladolid and, now, Girona. However, his injury will put a forced 'stop' on this streak, preventing him from equalling Ibrahimovic's record, who scored in his first five matches as a Barça player.
The intervention of the VAR. Finally, after 233 days, the VAR has intervened in favour of Barça. Muñiz Ruiz awarded a penalty against the Catalans for an alleged handball by Iñigo Martínez, when the centre-back had his back turned and a rebounded ball from Balde hit his right arm. The VAR notified the referee and the decision was corrected, benefiting the Catalans for the first time in this regard.
The forcefulness in front of goal. Barça's effectiveness in front of goal has increased dramatically. The Catalans had a success rate of 44.4%, scoring 4 goals from their 9 shots on goal. In addition, according to data from 'Sofascore', the Catalans comfortably exceeded the expected goals, which showed that the Blaugranas generated a total of 1.82 xG, seeing more goals than expected.
The worst part of the match
Dani Olmo's injury. When the player from Egar was going through a 'sweet' moment at the start of his adventure as a Barça player, his physical condition punished him again. In the 61st minute, the attacking midfielder noticed some discomfort in his right thigh and did not hesitate to ask to be substituted, lying down on the grass. He is expected to miss the matches against Monaco and Villarreal, being a sensitive, although brief, loss for the Barça team.
Ferran Torres' expulsion. The red card for the player from Foios was the stain on an almost perfect afternoon for the Catalan team. The 'Shark' lasted only 17 minutes on the pitch, after a hard stamp on Yaser Asprilla cost him the expulsion. Due to this sanction, the player will not be available for the game against Villarreal, at a time when Flick cannot afford the 'luxury' of losing depth.
Lewandowski's pending goal. Robert Lewandowski played his 100th game as a Barça player against Girona, and he was unable to celebrate it with a goal. The Pole maintained a different role on the pitch that distanced him a little from the rival goal, and when he finally had a clear chance in front of goal, his one-on-one was directed into the hands of Gazzaniga, who prevented the striker from shouting his 64th goal as a Barça player.
The goal against. Finally, when the match was dying, Christian Stuani took advantage of a defensive lapse to score the 'honour' goal against the Catalans. In the first five league games, Marc-André Ter Stegen has only been able to keep a clean sheet on one occasion, against Valladolid. A pending task for Flick's men, who will have to work on solidity in the backline.
