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Barcelona: Xavi's men did not achieve victory against Granada
This Saturday, Barcelona visited Granada at the Los Cármenes Stadium to play the match corresponding to matchday 20 of the Santander League and could only get a draw against a tough rival who never gave up.
Those led by Xavi Hernández have not managed to clear up any doubts about their performance in the League and other competitions, since this time they did not manage to maintain their advantage to one goal, but, near the end of regulation time, they conceded the goal of tie.
In the first half, no team managed to beat the nets and there were few chances, however, in the second half the chances arrived for minute 57, the Brazilian Dani Alves focused a ball into the rival area that the Dutchman Luuk de Jong managed to head and thus placing the culés ahead on the scoreboard.
The advantage had brought tranquility to the visitors, but in the 78th minute a hard tackle from Gavi, who already had a yellow card, on Collado caused him to be sent off when the referee took the second yellow.
From that moment the locals turned to attack, since they had been trying to draw from minutes before, but the numerical advantage facilitated the expected result, since in the 88th minute, after a corner where the Barça defenders focused in protecting the near post, after a deflection, Antonio Puertas spliced it with a volley, sending the ball to the squad and thus achieving the final 1-1.
They almost lost the game
In addition, Ter Stegen served short and Montoro got the ball and almost converted, but the German goalkeeper managed to solve in time.
Another situation that almost caused the defeat of Xavi's team was touching the wrong lineup. After Gavi's expulsion, Barcelona were left with seven first-team players and the three homegrown players Nico, Abde and Álvaro Sanz.
With the yellow cards of Depay and Lenglet, if any of them was expelled or someone from the seven, mentioned above, left the field injured, the Catalans could lose the match if there were only six players from the first team left.
The Barcelona coach, in his post-match statements, said in this regard that: “It is a risk that I have taken. It is an evidence, but we had to control the game. We have taken that risk because there were ten or twelve left, and we wanted to have the ball”.
Barcelona will play the semi-final match of the Spanish Super Cup this Wednesday, January 12, against Real Madrid.
The losses due to COVID-19 and these results that do not finish convincing characterize the performance of the Catalans, as well as the fact that it will be Xavi's first classic as coach of the Blaugrana team.
