Barcelona met relegated Real Valladolid at Jose Zorrilla on Saturday, but it was not quite as straightforward as expected.
Hansi Flick – who is yet to really get going – rotated his squad and rested most of the key players because of the Inter Milan semifinal.
Still, they were expected to be heavy favorites. They fell behind early on after just five minutes into a remarkable free kick from Valladolid.
And, despite some of the opportunities presented, they could not equalize in the first half.
With most people expecting the changes he brought forward at half time, including Raphinha and Fermín López, they got back into the contest and won the game to complete the second-half lineup.
Here are the Barcelona players’ ratings:
Marc-André ter Stegen (7)
The captain returned from injury but did not start well, conceding in the 5th minute without having to save the effort, and blame was leveled at him.
He redeemed himself with a good save in the 73rd minute against Latasa, who was in a goal-scoring situation.
Gerard Martín (7.5):
The left-back made a number of high advances to add width on the left side but did not arrange to hit the area, taking hardly anything away from the attack. He did provide an assist for Fermín’s goal in the second half.
Andreas Christensen (7):
Christensen made his first start under Flick and appeared relaxed in possession and defensively in the second half.
He was not at his best, but managed to distribute the ball effectively, and seemed fine with the high-line tactics.
Ronald Araújo (8):
Araújo led the defense and was a powerful presence against Valladolid’s counterattacks, and was a major contributor to stopping their threats with his pace, which was vital to gaining stability for a strong backline after a poor first half.
Héctor Fort (8):
The young right-back stretched the defense high clearly with confidence on the ball, and minutes without any real defensive duties, was able to scan for a goal.
Fort appeared on the verge of a brilliant effort from distance, only to see it strike the woodwork.
Pedri (8.5):
The only regular starter guarantees the midfield stability.
He was excellent with the ball in possession and drove the attack of Barcelona, always looking for the dangerous options, as he clearly stood out in a lackluster first half.
Gavi (8):
Getting to play in the pivot with Pedri, the La Masia graduate made some good defensive plays, tackling but didn’t have much of an impact on the attacking side because he played deeper.
Fermín López (9):
Fermín was the only bright spot in a dreary first half, completing tantalizing and accurate crosses and nearly spotting the game-changing pass. Playing higher up, he was a regular threat, and he earned a well-deserved goal to give his team the lead.
Dani Rodríguez (7.5):
The young lad debuted on the left wing and looked lively with dangerous dribbles and shots which were just off target. He ended the half with a tragic shoulder dislocation.
Ansu Fati (7):
Fati came into the game as a potential redemption arc and cast a sketch of promise, and had a scoring opportunity; however, much like the first half of his performance, he did not prove a consistent threat; therefore,he came out at halftime.
Pau Víctor (6):
Victor managed to start as a striker, which is rare for him; he had a couple of chances including one off Fermín’s cross, but failed to create or finish while being underwhelming in his time on the pitch.
Lamine Yamal (8.5):
Coming on early due to Rodríguez’s injury, Yamal changed the game for Barcelona, with the young attacker being the key creator from there on and finding Raphinha with a brilliant cross for his goal, few minutes into the second half.
Raphinha (8.5):
Brought on at halftime, Raphinha was the spark that ignited a brilliant comeback, leveling the score with a volley within five minutes of his introduction and turning the tide for the Catalans.
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