{"id":1149053,"date":"2020-06-27T18:44:43","date_gmt":"2020-06-27T17:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1149053"},"modified":"2021-03-30T09:57:57","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T08:57:57","slug":"celta-vigo-2-2-barcelona-match-analysis-riqui-puig-ansu-fati","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/celta-vigo-2-2-barcelona-match-analysis-riqui-puig-ansu-fati\/","title":{"rendered":"Barcelona blow La Liga at Balaidos with a dispiriting draw, but La Masia’s young stars offer a way forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a stunning afternoon of football, Barcelona have drawn 2-2 with Celta Vigo at Balaidos.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The result sees them move one point clear atop La Liga but with Real Madrid having a game in-hand against strugglers Espanyol, this felt very much like the title finally slipping away from the Blaugrana as an imperious Madrid side should go two points clear. However for the vast majority of this game it was one of the brightest displays for Barcelona under Quique Seti\u00e9n (in attack at least) and that was largely thanks to the two youngest players on the pitch.<\/p>\n

\"Black<\/a>

Black Lives Matter:<\/span> Read more about the cause footballers are taking the knee for<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Of course the goals came from the usual veteran leaders, with Leo Messi twice setting up Luis Su\u00e1rez superbly for a couple of really great strikes. And those players may draw the headlines, Su\u00e1rez especially as these goals came after a string of poor performances since La Liga’s restart. The Uruguayan showed that whilst he is obviously impacted by age, no one else in the Barcelona squad can do what he does.<\/p>\n

But the problem Su\u00e1rez presents given his age and physical struggles, is that he disrupts the team. Not intentionally, but his decreased mobility means that Barcelona’s attack is naturally slower. And then given some of the team selections from first Ernesto Valverde and now Quique Seti\u00e9n have also been quite conservative and lacking in dynamism, Barcelona have become a slow and miserable side whose sole attacking joy came from Leo Messi, with occasional flashes from others.<\/p>\n

Today, however, Riqui Puig and Ansu Fati took control of the game and really imposed a fast-paced and intelligent style of play from the Blaugrana. Riqui Puig was sensational in midfield, adding the kind of forward-thinking invention that takes so much of the attacking burden off Messi. The young Catalan had 78 touches whilst completing 92.4% of his 66 passes, he was sensational.<\/p>\n

In attack Ansu Fati showed once more that despite being just 17-years-old he is a must-start in attack. Utterly fearless in his desire to run at the Celta defence, Ansu gave the Blaugrana so much vertical threat that they tried to make fantastic use of.<\/p>\n

So why didn’t Barcelona get a goal despite this great play? Firstly: some historically bad shooting from Leo Messi. The Argentine was peppering the ball at goal as usual but his accuracy was well off for the second time this week.<\/p>\n

\n

Lionel Messi has failed to produce a shot on target from 7+ shots in only two LaLiga games across the past three seasons:<\/p>\n

June 23 2020 vs. Athletic Bilbao
June 27 2020 vs. Celta Vigo<\/p>\n

Both have come in the last week. pic.twitter.com\/505QkupJuK<\/a><\/p>\n

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 27, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n