Barça is already looking at her. Barça was already watching him. Barça is already thinking about it. Barça already feels it. It’s the League, the title, the championship. After a night full of emotions, the Blaugrana team put the final sword in Madrid with a goal in the addition of Kessié. Time stood still. Lewandowski invented an assist with the spur; Balde, capital, raised his head and crossed, and the midfielder faced. Madness at the Camp Nou for the first win against Madrid at home since 2018. Twelve points of income and the situation is not even painted.

The sign of the match could have been different because the Barcelona outcome was preceded by a goal from Asensio in the 80th minute that would have given life to La Liga in Madrid. But the VAR ruled offside. Yes, by the hair of a shrimp, but it was. The coin fell on the side of an enthusiastic and familiar Barça. Where talent failed, heart did. Where there is no finesse, the mentality. An Araújo own goal put the Whites ahead, a good Sergi Roberto equalized at half-time and Kessié put his signature to a victory of maximum suspense.

A Blaugrana triumph after a match full of nuances and alternatives, contested second by second, centimeter by centimeter.

While Ancelotti repeated Wednesday’s eleven against Liverpool, Xavi only surprised with Sergi Roberto instead of Kessié. The Reus midfielder would have a significant presence in the match, as would be seen later.

Before, the start of Barcelona was very interesting. Although Benzema tested Ter Stegen after the opening whistle, what followed was Barça’s best minutes in weeks. Nothing to do with the numantian bolt of the Cup. On the contrary, Barça settled in the opposite field with the three p’s: passion, pressure and possession. Calm with the ball and win without the ball. For the first, De Jong. For the second, Gavi. In that staging, Barcelona deserved the goal. Lewandowski went close but Courtois repelled his cocoa. The goalkeeper also stepped up to deflect a header from an active Raphinha.

But the function would turn with a very unfortunate action. Vinícus switched from the wing to the center to avoid Araújo. This caught Barça off guard and, with Busquets very slow, the Brazilian returned to the side to connect a cross. Araújo, in his attempt to deny it, introduced it into his goal with his head. That stroke of bad luck left Xavi’s men touched, who lost control of the match. Madrid played then more. In interson format with Kroos and Modric, incisively when they turned the game towards Vinícius. At least Koundé and Christensen had Benzema under control. Like Militão and Rüdiger to Lewandowski. It’s not that Madrid came close to 0-2, but they did manage to disconnect Barça.

Despite this, the Barcelona team went forward with courage. As proof, the tie, at half-time, and above all the way to achieve it. After a long attacking play, Araújo broke in from the right. He crossed in the area, De Jong offloaded, Raphinha shot, Militão rejected and Sergi Roberto hunted down the ball, had a moment of pause and adjusted his shot to the post. In tights

Not that it was due to push, but Barça deserved not to lose a match that was contested from power to power. The Blaugrana returned to the pitch ready to give continuity to the environmental climax and with the instruction to take care of the ball, with De Jong’s baton, more accurate than Busquets. With the Dutchman in charge, the Blaugrana shut out Madrid and Lewandowski starred in another fantastic half. His shot hit the leg of Militão, providential.

Ancelotti did not see it clearly and moved the tree. Mendy and Rodrygo entered and Madrid went on to play with three points. Step forward because the tie was worse for the Whites than for Barça, who, despite this, did not play conservatively. Raphinha and the much-improved Lewandowski attacked spaces and created options. Courtois took another attempt at the far end and the Pole sent a shot wide after De Jong’s service.

But Ancelotti ordered another twist of the script and changed the center of the field while Xavi placed Kessié, who would be key. Earlier, with these new white piles, Asensio momentarily advanced Madrid after Carvajal’s pass. 1-2, but suddenly technology emerged. It was necessary to review the position of Asensio, next to Koundé. The verdict was illegal goal. As in San Mamés, Barça saved themselves. But that was over. The best remained for Barcelona. The maneuver of Lewandowski, the surgical coldness of Balde and the irruption of Kessié. Barça is making a lot of progress towards the League.

FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Araujo, Kound, Christensen, Balde, Busquets, De Jong, Sergi Roberto, Gavi, Raphinha, Lewandowski

Coach: Xavi Hernández

Reial Madrid Courtois, Carvajal, Militão, Rudiger, Nacho, Camavinhga, Modric, Kroos, Valverde, Vinícius, Benzema

Coach: Carlo Ancelotti

Referee: De Burgos Bengoetxea (Basque).

VAR: Arbreda Grau (from La Rioja).

Stadium: Camp Nou. xxxx viewers.

Goals: x-x