U na paradinhas later,
The courtship of the players explained the significance of the goal. Hugs, emotion, adrenaline… the ingredients of a won final. Or a drama avoided. The landscape was clarified for Barça in Vigo, not the big horizons that its people dream of, but the small garden in front of it: finish the championship in the top four, qualify for the next League of Champions and face Napoli this week looking a little better.
Apart from the relief that the result brings, nothing that happened in Vigo alters the perception before the match. Nor does it change the opinion about Celta, who will once again go through the ordeal of the last few years. Around the age of 37, Iago Aspas is the best in the team by far. It costs very little to imagine where Celta would be without the veteran striker. Just in case, Iago Aspas scored the usual goal for Barça, with the involuntary collaboration of Koundé, who is involved in almost all of the team’s messes.
Xavi once again turned to Christensen to support the midfield, a decision that would make no sense in a drinkable Barça. Not even now, in this sad and tinny Barça. Christensen is an honest footballer, nothing more. Attributing a therapeutic effect to it is part of the fictions that preside over the current narrative of the club and the team. Vitor Roque was also among the headlines. He left no trace, except for a worrying insistence on losing control of the ball. It went back to the starting box.
Barça conceded very few chances to Celta, contrary to the terrible trend of recent matches. It could be considered the most positive note of the match, of the ugliest, except for Lewandowski’s shot in the first goal. It was a move from Bayern’s Lewandowski: simple, quick and deadly. In addition, he indicated that he has not yet reached the vertiginous deterioration that turns a great footballer into a wandering shadow.
Lewandowski receives fierce criticism today. He figures among the frequent allusions when the responsibilities for the team’s disappointing trajectory are addressed. There is no doubt about the regression, but another of Barça’s fictions was to think that the years would not pass for Lewandowski. He has 35, which are not few in football. He played a decisive role in his first season, both in terms of marketing and in terms of goals. Lewandowski gave a touch of commercial credibility to an obscure club without Messi. In terms of performance, it was more than acceptable: pichichi in the League and champion with Barça.
The Polish striker always needed a smart and strong environment to score goals. In this weak Barça and at his age, Lewandowski takes advantage of what he can and how he can. He has scored 12 goals in the Championship and is likely to finish with more than 20. It is delusional to think of the prolific striker before, but Lewandowski is not dragging his feet. It works and serves.
