Match Updates By J. M. Benitez
Barcelona is drawing in the second half against Celta Vigo this Saturday in Montjuic on Matchday 32 of La Liga. Dani Olmo and Raphinha tied the game in just four minutes when the score was 1-3 after Borja Iglesias scored a hat-trick. The striker’s second goal came after taking advantage of a defensive error by Frenkie De Jong and Iñigo Martínez and beating Szczesny with a powerful cross-shot. In the third he received a long ball behind the defense and beat the Polish goalkeeper in the one-on-one. In the first half, Barça started taking the lead with a goal from Ferran Torres, who has been the most active in the home attack. The striker received with his back to goal, turned around, drove into the area and shot across to beat Guaita. But five minutes later, Borja Iglesias equalized the score after receiving a pass in the area from Pablo Durán, where Szczesny came out to cut the pass and missed the start for the Celta striker to score at will.
In the run-up to the match, Barcelona has issued a statement about the schedules of the La Liga matches
Hansi Flick complained this Friday in a press conference about the schedules of the La Liga matches that his team is having and the club has supported him in the run-up to the match against Celta with a statement.
“FC Barcelona has already expressed on several occasions throughout this season its disagreement with the criteria set by LaLiga de Fútbol Profesional and the Royal Spanish Football Federation in terms of determining the schedules of the matches played by our first team. We believe, as our coach Hansi Flick publicly expressed yesterday, whom we fully support in statements that we share, that the competent bodies of Spanish football should be more careful with those teams that, like ours, participate in all official competitions in the final stretch of the season. This is a long-standing issue and, without questioning the difficulty of structuring such a full calendar of matches, FC Barcelona will continue to defend its interests before state and international football bodies in order to make the sporting calendar more coherent. In this sense, FC Barcelona will raise a formal complaint to the football regulatory bodies in order to avoid new situations that are detrimental to the great protagonists of the world of football, which are the footballers,” the statement reads.
Match Updates
The match kicks off at MIfontjuic!
Celta puts the ball in
1′ Barcelona’s first dangerous shot
Lewandowski received in the area and with his first touch he shot, although somewhat wide.
8′ Another Barça shot, now Iñigo Martínez
A cross from the corner to the far post falls to Iñigo Martínez, who shoots somewhat forced over the crossbar.
11′ Ferran scores first! (1-0)
Ferran received near the front of the box with his back to the front, turned around, drove into the area and shot across to beat Guaita. Great goal from the Spaniard that puts Barça ahead.
15′ Borja Iglesias draws! (1-1)
Celta came out on the counterattack, Durán received on the wing, put a horizontal ball for Borja Iglesias who was in the area, Szczesny came out to prevent the ball from reaching him, but he missed the start and the Celta striker scored at will.
23′ The one that Celta had!
A play similar to that of the first goal, this time Borja Iglesias arrived before Szczesny, but the Polish goalkeeper was very attentive to stop the Spanish striker’s shot.
27′ Easy Raphinha’s shot for Guaita
The Brazilian received a ball from Ferran and his shot from the edge of the area was very centered, easy for the visiting goalkeeper.
29′ Ferran’s shot goes narrowly wide
Ferran is being the most active in the Barça attack. The Spaniard received the ball on the edge of the area and shot powerfully into the top corner and narrowly missed him.
39′ Raphinha’s free-kick goes high
A dangerous foul on the edge of the area was hit by the Brazilian, but it went high.
41′ Borja Iglesias’ shot is saved by Szczesny
Cubarsí made a mistake in the clearance and Celta took advantage of it to attack Szczesny’s goal. Borja Iglesias received it a little from a angle and his shot at the near post was saved by the Polish goalkeeper.
43′ Double save for Szczesny!
The Pole saves Barcelona with a great double save. First he cleared a shot from Ilaix Moriba and then Iker Losada’s point-blank rebound.
45+2′ End of the first half in Montjuic!
Barcelona and Celta tied at half-time. Barça took the lead with a goal from Ferran, but after five minutes Borja Iglesias scored the equalizer.
45′ The second half begins
Barcelona put the ball in play.
45′ Substitution after the break in Celta
Iker Losada left and Mingueza came on.
49′ Szczesny saves Celta’s second
Pablo Durán made a double cutback in the area against Iñigo Martínez, put a cross to the far post where Borja Iglesias was and the Polish goalkeeper cleared the ball.
51′ Borja Iglesias scores Celta’s second! (1-2)
Borja Iglesias scored a brace! A communication error between De Jong and Iñigo Martínez caused Borja Iglesias to take the ball alone against Szczesny and with a powerful cross shot he beat the Polish goalkeeper.
58′ Double change at Barcelona
Fermín and Dani Olmo retire; Lamine Yamal and Ferran come on.
60′ Substitution now at Celta
Swedberg leaves and Alfon enters.
61′ Borja Iglesias’ hat-trick (1-3.)
Celta’s third arrives! The ball behind the defense leaves Borja Iglesias alone in front of Szczesny and beats him to score the third. Giráldez’s team puts distances on the scoreboard.
64′ Dani Olmo closes the distance!(2-3)
Barça react! A very quick play by Flick’s men, Lewandowski received, he gave it to Raphinha who put it deep for Olmo and the Spaniard scored to put the second.
68′ Raphinha ties the match! (3-3.)
What a crazy match in Montjuic! Lamine crossed to the far post and Raphinha arrived to tie the match.
72′ How close Olmo is to scoring the fourth!
Dani Olmo received only Dani Olmo in the area and after controlling with his chest he scored with the outside deflected.
73′ New changes at Celta
Borja Iglesias and Pablo Durán are leaving; Iago Aspas and Fer López come on.
77′ Lewandowski hurts on the ground
The Pole touches the back of his thigh and asks for change.
78′ Barça substitution
Lewandowski leaves and Gavi enters.
87′ Latest changes at Barça
Gerard Martín and Cubarsí leave; Pau Víctor and Eric García come on.
88′ Last substitution for Celta
Ilaix Moriba retires between whistles in Montjuic and Hugo Sotelo enters.
89′ The one Mingueza has had!
Mingueza had an empty goal and his header went wide.
90+1′ Yellow cards for Raphinha and Iago Aspas
The Brazilian takes the card for pushing the Galician and he takes it for following a play in which the referee had already whistled.
90+2′ Yellow card for Fer López
The Celta player protested to the referee and it costs him a yellow card.
90+5′ A possible penalty for Barcelona is reviewed!
The referee analyses a possible knockdown on Dani Olmo in the area.
90+6 The referee calls for a penalty!
Opportunity for Barça to come back from the match.
90+7′ Raphinha scores the penalty!(4-3)
Barcelona come back from the game! Raphinha converts the penalty very close to the end.
90+9′ End of the match in Montjuic!
A comeback of great merit by Barça that puts pressure on Madrid and Atlético in La Liga. A brace from Raphinha and goals from Ferran and Olmo give Flick’s team the victory. Borja Iglesias scored a hat-trick for Giráldez’s men.
Olmo after the match in Dazn
“This is football, we wanted to win, although our first minutes have not been the best. Luckily we have been able to turn it around. We still don’t see the title close, but each game is one less. We have to keep going.”
Flick after the match in Dazn
“When you win these games you like them. We played against a great team, it was no surprise to suffer so much. They are a great team and they have a great coach. I’m really happy with how we reacted after the 1-3. The team never gives up and that’s the mentality.
“We have to wait until tomorrow morning with Lewandowski. He will be tested and we will know something more.”
