Memphis Depay scored his first objective for Barcelona, yet it wasn’t sufficient to give the Catalans every one of the three focuses as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Athletic Club.
Ronald Koeman’s side began their La Liga season with an amazing 4-2 success over Real Sociedad on opening end of the week, however couldn’t uphold that against another extreme focus Basque side.
Athletic Club ruled the main half as their force and high squeezing messed up Barcelona. Oihan Sancet crushed a work off the crossbar before Inaki Williams had an artful endeavor saved at the close to post.
Things deteriorated for Barca soon after the half-hour mark when Gerard Pique was constrained off with a physical issue. Koeman had uncovered before the match that the veteran community back was conveying a thump and it prevented him from proceeding.
Regardless of the host group’s predominance, Barca seemed to have opened the scoring on the stroke of half time after Ronald Araujo’s dynamite overhead kick tracked down the net, yet the objective was prohibited for a questionable foul.
The advancement at last came for Athletic Club five minutes into the second half when Inigo Martinez got up most elevated from a corner kick to flick a looking header into the furthest corner of the net.
Koeman made changes to his group, with Yusuf Demir gave a La Liga debut, and the equalizer came through Memphis Depay who released an amazing strike in at the close to post subsequent to being played in behind.
Frenkie de Jong struck the woodwork as the tide changed in Memphis Depay the challenge, yet there was to be no champ as Barcelona, who got done with 10 men following a stoppage time red card displayed to Eric Garcia, were made to agree to a point.
:focal(1249x253:1251x251)/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/08/21/3205022-65655708-2560-1440.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
Argument – MEMPHIS IS THE BEST MESSI REPLACEMENT BARCA COULD HAVE FOUND
Supplanting Lionel Messi was never going to be simple, particularly in Barcelona’s present circumstance, yet Memphis hopes to have accepted the test. The Dutchman is now Barca’s principle man in assault. Such a great deal their play in the last third moves through Memphis. He’s made a superior showing of coordinating himself into Barcelona’s framework in two games than Antoine Griezmann has done in two years.
MAN OF THE MATCH – INAKI WILLIAMS (ATHLETIC CLUB)
Williams has a propensity for tracking down his best structure against Barcelona and the Athletic Club forward kept up this pattern with another amazing exhibition here. The 27-year-old was a main thrust for the home side and drove the high press that had the guests fixed back inside their own half for most of the primary half. The solitary thing that was missing from Williams’ down was an objective.
PLAYER RATINGS
Athletic Club – Aguirrezabala 6, Lekue 5, Vivian 6, Martinez 7, Balenziaga 5, Berenguer 7, D. Garcia 7, Vencedor 8, Muniain 6, Sancet 7, I. Williams 8. Subs – Morcillo 4, Zarraga 4, N. Williams 7, Vesga 6, R. Garcia 5.
Barcelona – Neto 4, Dest 6, Pique 3, E. Garcia 4, Alba 5, Busquets 5, Pedri 4, De Jong 8, Griezmann 5, Depay 8, Braithwaite 4. Subs – Araujo 7, Roberto 6, Emerson 5, Demir 5.
KEY MOMENTS
5′ Should be 1-0! Gracious dear! What a chance for Barcelona to open the scoring! Memphis got along admirably at the byline to set up Braithwaite for the strike, yet he shoots over from six yards out!
12′ Off the crossbar! What a thrilling strike from Sancet! He turned so rapidly inside the Barcelona box and released a loud strike, however it comes slamming off the underside of the bar!
32′ Pique off! This is awful information for Barcelona. Koeman uncovered before the match that Pique had been battling with a thump and that injury has the better of the middle back.
45+1′ GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO… NO! Barcelona hope to have opened the scoring through Araujo, however the objective is chalked off for a foul by Braithwaite! Very little in that by any means!
50′ GOAL! Athletic Club 1-0 Barcelona: Finally, Athletic have the lead and they merit it! Martinez got up most noteworthy from a corner kick and looked a header into the furthest corner of the net! Helpless checking from Barcelona and they were made to pay for it! The hosts have been the better side!
74′ Off the crossbar! So near a STUNNING equalizer for Barcelona! De Jong endeavored to heave the goalkeeper, however his work returns off the Athletic Club crossbar! That was virtuoso!
75′ GOAL! Athletic Club 1-1 Barcelona: An equalizer! Roberto pushed a ball over the top for Memphis who does well to fix the ball and release a strike at objective! The force beats the goalkeeper at the close to post and tracks down the rear of the net! Barca are level!
90+3′ SENT OFF! Eric Garcia is shown a straight red card for cutting down Nico Williams as he flooded through on objective! He needed to do it! Williams was spotless through!
KEY STATS
Gerard Pique has been subbed off in six of his last 13 La Liga begins for Barcelona, as numerous as in his last 111 beginnings before that.
Memphis Depay turned into the solitary the third Barcelona player to be associated with two objectives in his initial two games for the club (after Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez).
Thank You
