Barça got three valuable points from Mendizorroza after a very gray game, especially in the first half. A combination between Alba, Ferran Torres and Luuk de Jong executed Alavés, although Pedri was certainly the most outstanding player. This is how the azulgranas played this Sunday:
Ter Stegen: Impeccable (7)
Alavés shot little on goal. Pere Pons had a one-on-one in the first half and Jason had a shot in the 93. Both went to his hands, which is not his fault. A clean sheet and to continue to gain lost trust.
His contributions in attack were minimal, while he suffered in defense and made a few mistakes that gave Alavés their best dangerous chances. He will not beat Alves with such games.
Joselu was a demanding challenge, but the center-back got to his feet and got on well with Araujo. He had the opportunity to score from solid kicks.
Xavi placed him on the left flank and protected Alba’s back. A wise decision, because he had to cover that gap on more than one occasion, always with success.
Satisfied in the first half, without major mistakes or a threat, he finally played as a lane. The round-trip trip no longer goes with him, but he sees the unmarked like little. The goal was born in his boots, by understanding the movement of Ferran Torres when everyone was looking at Frenkie de Jong.
At times without a pulse, he put a team on his back, which at his age is already a huge merit. He was the only one who tried from the beginning to get Barça out of a soprano rhythm, though almost always without help.
He kept the center of the field with class, but without doing anything to change a faint script, inappropriate from Barça. He was able to score a header from a corner that he combed at the near post.
Frenkie de Jong: Awarded (7)
A very flat Barça needed someone to break lines, to get out of the script. Determined to look for his friend Luuk at the beginning, he streamed into the area in the second half and finally got the goal.
Ferran Torres: Assistant (6)
He started right and before halftime Xavi changed him to left. Neither on the one hand nor on the other did it present danger. But his coach believed in him and resolved the match with a magnificent dismissal and a decisive help.
Luuk de Jong: Desperate (5)
He returned to his worst version, that of a ‘nine’ without murderous instinct and very slow to resolve actions of clear advantage. Aguirregabiria recovered three yards and in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper took the ball off his feet, then stroked a superb cross from Pedri that he just had to push into the net.
Beating his counterpart cost him on the one hand and on the other, but he did not stop trying. He created problems for the competitor, which is not a trivial thing to see the boring first half of his team.
Replacements
No sign of the player who blinded against Celta, even though it was a gray day for everyone. Alavés vehemently demanded a punishment they simply did not commit.
Related news
Jutglà: Irrelevant (sc)
He replaced Luuk de Jong in the last minutes and was placed as ‘nine’, but he did not have time to come into contact with the ball.
Lenglet: Testimonial (sc)
A central that replaces an attacking midfielder, a change that already punishes the networks. The reality is that he came out in the 90th minute to defend a favorable result at all costs that cost a lot to harvest.
Reference-www.elperiodico.com