Football has mysteries that are unfathomable. How can it be that Barça almost always starts losing? Why does he concede goals every other day? Why do you suffer against anyone? These are questions that are repeated throughout the season. Questions that have often made us look towards Barcelona’s defense, which has become a trembling flan, despite having pieces that were insurmountable last season. Among these names are Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde, who went from airplanes to freight trains in a few months. The Frenchman, due to his numerous mistakes, and the youth player, due to his confusion, both with the ball and without the ball.
But, suddenly, when the meeting was aground, the two emerged. And not to avoid goals from the rival, but to score them. When it was least expected. When in a pool no one would have given a penny for them as scorers. When extension was a not so distant option. Then Koundé raised his head and literally woke up. He unleashed a spectacular shot from the front, one of those that the Blaugrana team spends so little on, and put his team ahead. Second goal of the season for the former Sevilla player (the other was in the Osasuna field). A bit electrifying and he shows that with such a closed rival you have to try harder. “After a difficult defeat we had to react. We have been serious, rigorous and we have done the work. The Cup is a goal. What we are lacking this season is intensity,” Koundé reflected.
His goal cleared the air and was followed by another flash. In his umpteenth penetration of the season, Balde resolved well. He left with power and hit the ball into the net. Balde’s first goal all season, since he had not seen the net since May 14, the day Barça sealed the League in Cornellà. “He has all the conditions to dare to do more things. “You have to rebel,” Xavi asked.
Two shots with conviction from two defenders that relieved Xavi. “Against such backward defenses we have to shoot more from outside the area and we have players to shoot, Frenkie (De Jong), Oriol Romeu, Pedri, Gündogan, Koundé… We have to play more liberated. “We have taken a step forward,” said the Barcelona coach.
The coach acknowledged that he had gone through an amalgamation of emotions. “At times we have played very well and at times we have to play better. Sometimes I get desperate because we don’t do what we have to do. It’s hard for me to understand because I’ve done it in my time as a player. But at least we gained confidence and morale with a very good second half because the game was not easy,” the coach explained. He left Salamanca with a little breath of fresh air.
