Barça submits to Almería and puts pressure on Madrid

Tribute, victory and pressure on Madrid.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
05 November 2022 Saturday 18:35
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Barça submits to Almería and puts pressure on Madrid

Tribute, victory and pressure on Madrid. Round night for Barça, who climbed to the provisional leadership after subduing a defensive Almería. The victory was solvent and incontestable, materialized with goals from Dembélé and Frenkie de Jong. Before, Lewandowski missed a penalty but it was not an obstacle for Barcelona, ​​owner and lord of the match from start to finish. Fourth consecutive victory of the Blaugrana in the championship, where they offer an image of regularity.

Xavi opted for Piqué in the eleventh in his farewell to the Camp Nou and surrounded him with a particular defense, again with three left backs, placing Balde on the right and Marcos Alonso on the axis. Within a battalion of changes with respect to the Champions League, the coach kept Ferran Torres after his good performance against Viktoria. It cannot be denied that the Valencian tries and tries, although sometimes he gets desperate.

During a good part of the match, Torres was everywhere, short and long, throwing off the markers, running and giving options to the passer. Another question is the definition of it or the decision making of it. Either he lacks finesse or when he has to shoot the yield and when he has to pass it he finishes off. Pure reflection that it cost Barcelona to find the rival goal more than half a game.

His dominance was absolute and overwhelming. The Blaugrana team placed the tent on the ground of an ultra-equipped Almería. With five defenders and three holding midfielders, Rubi's team set out to carry out a sovereign resistance exercise. A framework that was about to blow up very soon. Because Balde, a titan also with a changed leg, connected a wise center to the head of Ferran Torres. His header hit Kaiky's hand and the referee was claimed by the VAR for viewing. A penalty was decreed, the first of the season for Barça. It could be thrown by a concentrated and safe Piqué but logic indicated that Lewandowski should throw it. The Pole did not throw it well at all. He made a paradiña but the goalkeeper did not bite in the deception and the striker shot to the post and out.

Opening the can quickly would have changed the scenery sooner for sure.

Xavi asked for patience and for the ball to swing from one side to the other. His soccer players paid attention to him and Alba and Balde penetrated the bands. Meanwhile, Dembélé filtered balls, almost all for Ferran Torres, who skirted the goal in a shot that Kaiky took under the sticks. Dembélé had his in this phase with his head, but it was stopped by a Fernando who was also successful in another attempt by De Jong.

That was a harassment in search of the demolition but Almería generated a very clear chance after a bad shipment from the Dutchman. Ramazani intercepted his serve and came face to face with Ter Stegen. The German endured the challenge and spoiled the opportunity.

Arriving at the break, Barça had deserved more but had to continue chewing on the goal. Fortunately, after changing rooms, the goal came immediately after a very long Koeman de Busquets-style delivery to Dembélé. The French made a play similar to that of Messi of all life, he was heading towards the area and after a couple of feints he scored with his left. A beautiful action, and more difficult than the one that failed shortly after. With everything in his favor, he forgave. Dembélé's things. Although the sentence was not long in coming when De Jong caught the goalkeeper's rebound after a point-blank shot by Ansu Fati, who had just left.

Barça, by insistence, had done their homework and dedicated themselves to enjoying themselves to the delight of Piqué, who was replaced to applause. Nothing disturbed his big night.