By 90min | Created at 2024-11-07 17:33:07 | Updated at 2024-11-15 15:27:22
1 week ago
Barcelona made it three wins from four Champions League games so far this season on Wednesday night, eventually racking up a 5-2 win over Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian capital.
Inigo Martinez had put Hansi Flick’s side ahead after 13 minutes, only for Silas to cancel out the advantage during a spell of Red Star pressure. But goals for Robert Lewandowski, his 98th and 99th in the Champions League, either side of half-time, were quickly followed by one from Raphinha as Barca avoided a potential slip-up and raced out of sight.
Late strikes for either side from Fermin Lopez and Milson added more goals to the score-line, but the game had realistically been over as contest since before the hour mark.
How the game unfolded
Barcelona’s high defensive line was shown to be in fine working order early in the opening stages when Timi Elsnik raced clear and fired the ball beyond Inaki Pena. The flag went up for offside and a VAR check agreed with that decision: no goal.
Lamine Yamal soon had a decent shot saved by Marko Ilic and, as pressure mounted, the game looked like might become a procession for Barca when Martinez scored a brilliant diving header. The centre-back was in the box for a free-kick delivered by Raphinha and converted at the far-post.
Yamal almost laid on a second goal midway through the half when he threaded a ball through the home defence that Raphinha was unable to get on target. The Catalans were quickly punished for that miss as Silas drew Red Star level only moments later latching onto a Rade Krunic pass behind the Barca defence and chipping the ball over Pena.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Red Star were right in the faces of their illustrious opponents, although Lewandowski had a sniff at a Barca second when he took the ball around Ilic but was unable to regain control before it ran out for a goal kick. And it was arguably against the run of play when Lewandowski did convert, showing quick reactions to direct Raphinha’s rebound into the net after the Brazilian’s low strike from just outside the box cannoned off the inside of the post.
Barca could have had a third quickly after the interval when Pedri fired just over the bar with his left foot as the ball fell to him after Jules Kounde’s cross hadn’t been dealt with. Lewandowski then somehow put a shot wide after Red Star were carved open by Yamal and Raphinha. But if that was a glaring gaffe, it was impossible for the Pole to miss when he did get the third.
It was another opportunity created by Kounde, whose teasing low ball into the six-yard found Lewandowski at the far post, unmarked and in front of an open net. And the Frenchman laid on the quickfire fourth as well, running into space in the inside right channel and delivering a cutback to Raphinha on the edge of the box, followed by a precise side-footed finish.
Substitutions from both sides threatened to detail the momentum of the game, but it was actually a replacement who scored next as Lopez found the bottom corner from the middle of a crowded box. That completed Kounde’s hat-trick of assists, again getting forward and cutting the ball back.
Red Star’s second goal was disappointing from a Barca perspective, with Seol Young-woo allowed the time and space to pick out Milson, who then cut inside from the left and curled the ball in. There was still time for Lopez to strike the bar, but 5-2 in Barcelona’s favour was how it finished.
Jules Kounde was a decisive influence / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/GettyImages
GK: Inaki Pena - 5/10 - Two goals conceded from the only two shots on target he faced.
RB: Jules Kounde - 9/10 - His ability to get forward from right-back and provide quality delivery into the box was directly responsible for three goals and created other chances.
CB: Pau Cubarsi - 6/10 - Put his head where it hurts, stooping to meet the ball, and caught a stray boot to the face. It left him bloodied and unable to continue.
CB: Inigo Martinez - 7/10 - Scored a difficult header on the stretch to break the deadlock. But it was a shame he was then caught out by the movement in Red Star's forward line as they equalised.
LB: Gerard Martin - 5/10 - Perhaps the weak link in the defence this time around, failing to win his individual defensive battles or offer much going forward.
CM: Pedri - 6/10 - Created a few opportunities but saw way less of the ball than expected.
CM: Frenkie de Jong (c) - 7/10 - Just over an hour in his legs and misplaced only a single pass.
CM: Marc Casado - 7/10 - Continues to impress with both his range of passing and off-the-ball tenacity.
RW: Lamine Yamal - 8/10 - Created chances at will with incredible vision to see gaps in the Red Star defence and wasn't scared of taking shots on himself.
ST: Robert Lewandowski - 8/10 - Showed a clinical poacher's instinct to restore the lead shortly before half-time and could hardly miss when he scored his second of the night.
LW: Raphinha - 8/10 - Regularly involved and it's now 13 goals and assists in his last seven games across all competitions in little over a month.
Substitutes
SUB: Dani Olmo (58' for Raphinha) - 6/10
SUB: Fermin Lopez (58' for Pedri) - 7/10 - Scored one and could have had another but for the woodwork.
SUB: Sergi Dominguez (67' for Cubarsi) - 6/10
SUB: Gavi (67' for De Jong) - 6/10
SUB: Pau Victor (78' for Lewandowski) - 5/10
Unused subs: Wojciech Szczesny (GK), Ander Astralaga (GK), Alejandro Balde, Hector Fort, Pablo Torre, Ansu Fati.
Manager
Hansi Flick - 8/10 - This high defensive is high risk but high reward. Barca flirted with the wrong side of that line in this one but again prevailed. He's got Raphinha singing and it's been hugely important.
