And at last the football that most desires returned. Barça came out at Villarreal, enjoyed the ball, suffered without it and pampered him to sign the first win of the season in a protest exercise against an opponent who spoke the same language. It was a festival of goals. Gavi and Frenkie de Jong opened fire. Setién’s team came back with three goals from Foyth, Sorloth and Baena. But Barcelona refused to leave empty. He wanted to sign a balsamic and necessary victory with two more goals signed by Ferran Torres, the best revulsion of this Barça, and Lewandowski who, finally, saw the door. All accompanied by the excellent performance of Lamine Yamal. No doubts. The youth squad responds with football and talent to those who doubt whether they have to risk so much with his youth.
Successes are better digested if they come in a difficult week. After the social, political and international tsunami caused by Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso without consent – the audience at the Estadio de la Cerámica remembered it well with their “Rubiales go now” – and, after what happened in the first two days of League, it was most comforting to see two teams that searched for the ball without fanfare but with talent. Barça, who came out in white, did so with Xavi isolated, fulfilling his second and last match sanctioned just like Raphinha, who stayed in Barcelona. Without Pedri, Barcelona’s all-seeing compass, Xavi continued to bet on the four midfielders with Oriol Romeu and De Jong at the base of the square and Gündogan and Gavi at the top.
In a defense without Araújo or Balde, who was left on the bench with discomfort in his left ankle, Xavi opted for an unprecedented line that suffered positionally with the four Villarreal midfielders. Christensen danced with Koundé in the axis of the rear and, for the first time this season, Sergi Roberto appeared on the right side. The captain suffered with the internships of Pedraza, a left-back, and Alex Baena, a false Villarreal left winger who was embedding himself in the center of the field in defense. Roberto actually appeared in the photo of two of the three groguets goals. They won his back and he was in the photo of two of the three ‘groguets’ goals.
Marcos Alonso suffered less on the left wing. He had not been able to play to date. Barça managed to register him on Friday thanks to Ter Stegen. The goalkeeper, renewed with salary adequacy included until 2028, had a job. A lot to be honest. Villarreal was able to get ahead through a goal from Sorloth that did not go up on the scoreboard due to offside. Three minutes later, Setién’s men insisted with a ball from Baena that oriented the leather over Ter Stegen’s goal. The German wall was essential in the next play. After a great combination of Baena with Terrats and Capoue, Ter Stegen took out his left knee to stop Sorloth’s shot in two stages on the edge of the small area.
The first and particular ‘it’s over’ for Barcelona arrived with two goals that came as Xavi likes. After two long possessions. In the first it was the talent of La Masia who shone. He scored Gavi with a header after an exquisite cross from Lamine Yamal from a corner kick. The second was from Frenkie de Jong who arrived three minutes later. The sequence was exquisite. Gundogan leaked the leather to Lewandowski in the front and Pedraza stole it but without much determination. The ball remained dead inside the small area and the Dutchman beat Jörgensen’s goal with his right leg.
Then came the Villarreal revolution. Ter Stegen stuck out his foot and sent a Pedraza shot in a corner. He couldn’t do anything when Juan Foyth, the right-back that Mateu Alemany wanted for Barça, beat Sergi Roberto and headed the ball to the post after a corner. The tie was put by Sorloth in another very well spun play. Gerard Moreno, the captain of the groguet team, leaked the pass for Pedraza, and he gave it to Sorloth.
The game, this time without hydration breaks, came to rest with a run by Lamine Yamal that approached Jörgensen’s goal. When he was going to shoot, Jorge Cuenca, a center back who was formed at La Masia, blocked him. Along the way, the youth squad received a yellow. Also Foyth and Lewandowski after a hitch on a throw-in.
Things did not start well for Barça in the second half. Pedraza went into the kitchen to leave it to Baena who nailed it to the bottom of the net. But then came the second and definitive ‘it’s over’ for Barcelona. The tie almost came through Lewandowski. Also from Lamine Yamal, whose shot crashed into the crosshead. Ferran Torres did not fail. The best revulsive of this Barça replaced Romeu and shot running into Cuenca’s legs. He didn’t give up. He took it on the rejection and in the second instance if he scored with his left foot. The goal fueled Lewandowski who finally managed to make his debut scoring his first goal of the season. It was the fourth. The one of the Barcelona victory. And he also arrived with Lamine Yamal dancing around him. The youth squad forced Jörgensen to intervene again. The leather ended up on the stick and the rebound was marked by the Pole at will. Seniority and youth embraced. It was undoubtedly the image of the party.
