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Halftime matches, those that catch the best teams in the middle of the most demanding days, are propitious for footballers who need to vindicate themselves, some of them highly discussed, few like Ferran Torres.
The Barça international, a spectator of the Barça leadership, not only appeared without fear at the Camp Nou but was also a persevering and daring striker, decisive for Barça to claim victory against Cádiz.
An extraordinary play by Ferran marked the difference in a match that served as a reunion with the helpful Sergi Roberto and the striker Lewandowski.
BCNBarcelona
2
Ter Stegen, Eric Garcia, Alex Balde, A. Christensen, Koundé, Gavi, Sergi Roberto, Frenkie De Jong (Kessié Franck, min. 68), Ansu Fati (Ángel Galiot, min. 85), Lewandowski (Raphinha, min. 74 ) and Ferran Torres
CAD Cadiz
0
Jeremias Ledesma, Luis Hernández, Fali, Iza, Santiago Arzamendia, Escalante (Iván Alejo, min. 61), Brian Ocampo (Lozano, min. 61), Álex Fernández, Rubén Alcaraz (Fede, min. 68), T. Bongonda ( Rubén Sobrino, min. 61) and Roger (Chris Ramos, min. 73)
Goals
1-0 min.
43: Sergi Roberto.
2-0 min.
45: Lewandowski.
Referee
Pablo González Fuertes
Yellow cards Roger (min. 23), Rubén Alcaraz (min. 53), Frenkie De Jong (min. 65), Kessié Franck (min. 78) and Fede (min. 82)
It was not very clear what to expect from a team as unprecedented as the one Xavi had.
The lineup was difficult to match due to the rotations, the injuries to Pedri and Dembélé and the suspension of Araujo.
The rest of Kessié and Raphinha left room for Sergi Roberto to continue as an interior player and Ferran to appear up front along with Ansu Fati.
Although without wingers, the three forwards returned instead of the four midfielders and Eric García reappeared at the back.
An offensive eleven to which Cádiz responded with brave players like Bongonda, Brian Ocampos and Roger Martí
Closely grouped, Sergio González's boys applied themselves with intensity and speed, aggressive with the ball, very careful to deny space and repetitively wasting time in the face of protests from the Camp Nou public.
The Barca rhythm was high, the ball used to be clear with Balde and Christensen, Gavi attacked viciously and, on the other hand, there was no way to finish the plays against Ledesma well.
Barça was too imprecise in both areas, also in Ter Stegen's.
Ferran's driving, as hard as he was unwise in the last pass or shot, summed up Barcelona's offense.
Lewandowski played with his back to the goal and Ansu was wrong at each control in a game without chances due to the lack of depth of the Catalans, too predictable, without inside play or outside shot, less intimidating than the out-of-bounds of Cádiz.
The game demanded a brave player to break the script and that's when Ferran appeared.
The forward starred in a solemn move that would have signed the best of wingers: he got rid of Arzamendia, dribbled past Alcaraz, broke Fali and crossed for Lewandowski's head.
The striker finished off with an iron, Iza rejected and Sergi Roberto finished off.
Although the pace of the play was longer and more spaced out, Ferran's great goal evoked Messi himself.
The 1-0 cheered up Barça because immediately afterwards it was 2-0 in an action by Sergi Roberto culminating in the front by Lewandowski.
The top scorer, author of 13 goals in 12 games at the start, scored again after he had only scored one goal since the World Cup.
The two flashes calmed the Catalans and led to the settlement of Cádiz, who complained about a goal disallowed by Roger Martí after a debatable foul by Fali on Ter Stegen, too lukewarm despite being the Zamora of the League.
Despite the fact that the Barca accommodation was collective, the fans worried about Ansu, misguided and unable to follow in Ferran's wake, while Xavi rested De Jong and Lewandowski.
On Thursday Old Trafford awaits in the Europa League.
Barça ended the game prematurely and gave Cádiz a siege for a few minutes.
The stick returned two shots before a nervous Ter Stegen.
Although the Catalans did not know how to have the ball and conceded chances, their goal was kept to zero for the 17th game this season, adding their seventh straight victory and eight points away from Madrid.
The statistics certify the good moment of Barça.
The game already depends on the footballers and yesterday the revived Ferran stood out.
Xavi wins people for the cause that is none other than winning the League.
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