Fortunately, Memphis Depay is here!
The former Lyon striker, who arrived this summer, allowed FC Barcelona to snatch a laborious 1-1 draw on Saturday in Bilbao for the second day of La Liga, and enhanced the image of a very pale Barça.
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The "Lion" is already roaring! With a missile concluded from the left in the second period (75th), Depay responded to Inigo Martinez (51st) and opened his goal counter under the colors of FC Barcelona, allowing Barça to climb to the provisional first place in the standings, before the matches of Atlético and Real Madrid on Sunday. Main offensive recruit of Barça this summer (with Sergio Agüero, still injured), the Dutch international had already put Camp Nou in the pocket last Sunday, with a recital offered against Real Sociedad (4-2), without goal but with a decisive pass.
Now, he has also agreed with Ronald Koeman: the former coach Oranje, who had made the center-forward a priority target since his arrival on the Blaugrana bench, won his case.
And the talent of the former Lyonnais did the rest on the pitch.
Depay was even on the verge of doubling the bet and offering Barça success at the end of the game, but his too crossed strike did not catch the frame (85th).
Asphyxiated
For the Catalans, the success would not have been deserved anyway.
And the draw should already greatly satisfy them.
Because in a San Mamés which has found part of its audience for the first time in a year and a half, we have not seen the conquering, attractive and playful Barça who had flown over the game against Real Sociedad, there is a opening week.
Ronald Koeman's men had the worst difficulties in the world to get out of the high and stifling pressing of the Basques, and had to compose without Gerard Pique, who was injured after half an hour of play after a bad contact in a duel (replaced by Ronald Araujo).
And above all, the absence of goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen was sorely felt in the raises.
Neto, feverish after being endangered multiple times at the start of the match (10th, 11th, 22nd, 27th), distilled the wrong balls.
Bad luck
In addition, FC Barcelona were unlucky: while the incoming Araujo opened the scoring with an acrobatic bicycle after a ball released by the young Basque goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala (who replaces Unai Simon, at rest after playing the Euro and the Olympics), the goal was canceled for a previous foul by Martin Braithwaite. And in the second period (74th), it was a clever lob from Frenkie de Jong who bounced off the Basque crossbar.
The too many mistakes of the Catalans ended up turning against them: in the 51st minute, on a corner, Inigo Martinez rose and placed a uncrossed cross to open the scoring. There was nothing Neto could do about it. The Basques could even have taken the advantage earlier (46th), if Araujo had not saved in extremis a recovery of Alex Berenguer on his line, while Neto was out and beaten. Fortunately for the Blaugrana, Memphis Depay was already there to push back the deadline for the first defeat of the post-Lionel Messi era.
It is therefore Barça which temporarily takes the lead in the standings, ahead of the promoted Mallorca, winner 1-0 at Alavés in the afternoon, and Valencia, who snatched the 1-1 draw in Granada on Saturday night. On Sunday, the reigning Spanish champion Atlético Madrid will return to their Wanda-Metropolitano stadium against Elche (7:30 p.m.), while Real Madrid travel to Levante (10 p.m.).
