One other nice efficiency and one other sensible win
The vibes stay immaculate for Barcelona because the Blaugrana placed on a second spectacule of attacking soccer on the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium in a span of 4 days, completely dominating Belgian champions Royal Antwerp and successful 5-0 in Tuesday night time’s Champions League group stage opener. Barça as soon as once more performed an excellent staff sport, scored some wonderful targets and made a press release of intent as they started a brand new European journey in dominant style.
FIRST HALF
This might have been a kind of video games the place the superior staff takes the weaker aspect without any consideration and finds themselves in a world of hassle. This was not the case within the first half: Barça have been at it from the get go, urgent excessive up the pitch to win the ball again shortly after which transferring it with goal to search out areas and create probabilities.
After 5 stable minutes the place they tried to point out some attacking intent, Antwerp have been shortly pinned again and foreced to defend for his or her lives however had no probability towards the Blaugrana machine. Barça have been sharp and environment friendly, and just about wrapped up the win earlier than we even hit the midway mark of the opening interval.
Barça scored three targets in 10 minutes, beginning within the eleventh minute when an attractive passing sequence by way of the center ended with a beautiful help by Ilkay Gündogan and a terrific aim from João Félix, who scored for the second sport in a row with a superb end to pick the underside nook.
Eight minutes later it was time for Félix to show supplier after receiving an outrageous by way of ball from Frenkie de Jong and choosing out an ideal cross to search out Robert Lewandowski on their lonesome on the far put up to volley house the second. The third aim had a little bit of luck after yet one more nice passing sequence and a cross by Raphinha that hit Antwerp defender Jelle Bataille and went in off the put up.
Barça made the sport really easy for them that it was pure to see their ranges drop to shut out the half, however they by no means allowed Antwerp to develop in confidence and the Belgians by no means actually threatened the Catalans.
At halftime the win was just about assured and Barça have been enjoying properly, and the one factor left to know was if the house staff had sufficient starvation to chase extra targets within the second half.
SECOND HALF
Barça got here out with a renewed goal and vitality to begin the second half, hungry to proceed attacking and rating extra targets. It was good to see, and it paid dividends because the Blaugrana elevated the margin and gave the Montjuïc crowd much more causes to have fun.
The fourth aim got here 10 minutes into the half after yet one more lovely passing mixture contained in the field, and after a few blocked pictures the ball fell to Gavi who fired a rocket into the roof of the web from shut vary. Then it was time for João Félix to double his tally on the night time, heading house a beautiful cross from Raphinha on the far put up to make it 5 for the house staff with 25 minutes to go.
Xavi Hernández made all 5 substitutions to relaxation just a few gamers and provides kids like Fermín López and Lamine Yamal an opportunity to play prolonged minutes in Europe for the primary time, and each have been hungry and dynamic and helped Barça proceed creating probabilities untl the very finish of the sport.
Sadly there have been no extra targets scored so Barça needed to accept only a second straight 5-0 destruction at house when the ultimate whistle got here. This was the proper strategy to begin a brand new European journey by completely dominating the worst staff within the group and enjoying nice soccer to proceed the nice kind. This staff is admittedly enjoyable to observe proper now, and it’s so nice to only get pleasure from watching Barça once more. There might be more durable video games quickly, however the staff is trying good and prepared for them.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Cancelo (Roberto 76’), Kounde, Christensen, Balde; Gündogan, De Jong (Romeu 58’), Gavi (Fermín 58’); Raphinha (Yamal 68’), Lewandowski, Félix (Ferran 68’)
Objectives: João Félix (11’, 66’), Lewandowski (19’), Bataille (OG 22’), Gavi (54’)
Antwerp: Butez; Bataille (Kerk 73’), Alderweireld, Coulibaly, Wijndal; Vermereen, Keita, Ekkelenkamp (Yusuf 60’); Muja (Valencia 83’), Janssen (Ilenikhena 60’), Balikwisha (De Laet 60’)
Objectives: None