The day that Barcelona had marked in red to become the new leader of LaLiga failed and ruined its trajectory against Granada, who with two claws in the second half turned the game around (1-2) and turned LaLiga upside down.
Granada made history and won for the first time in the Barça fiefdom in 26 games, a new theatrical blow from a championship that seems to have no owner and many alternatives. And now those of Ronald Koeman, who promised them very happy after their great career in this second round, they no longer depend on themselves and they will have to row again.
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The azulgrana team went ahead in the first half and seemed to have everything done in front of a very reserved rival, but Barcelona trusted. Mingueza failed in the 1-1 of Machís and the pair of centrals in the 1-2 of Jorge Molina, in the only two shots on goal by the Andalusians against the goal of Ter Stegen.
The day that Barcelona had to take the lead, they played with seven homegrown players. Ilaix Moriba replaced Pedri, Sergi Roberto to Dest; and Umtiti entered through Lenglet, but Koeman did not change the drawing, He did not even reserve the four warned by suspension, because he considers that all games have their importance when there is so little left.
And it is that the Dutch technician is the person in charge of the Barcelona miracle, well him and Leo Messi who is in an exceptional moment, surely the best in recent years and arrives at the moment of truth in a great physical and mental condition, at least until today.
Koeman did not read the game well. His team needed to widen the field and collapsed in the center and that Leo Messi appeared to the rescue, in an action in which Antoine Griezmann was the necessary collaborator. It was the French protagonist in the 0-1, his was the assistance to Messi that opened the scoring. The Frenchman turned inside the area and served Barça’s ten, who finished off the long post, away from Aaron.
But it cost a lot to the Catalans. Granada played far back, accumulated many players near Aaron and Koeman’s had no space or connections. A shot by Alba (min. 9), another by Griezmann (min. 19), a one-on-one by Messi (min. 36), resolved by Aarón, and a header by Umtiti (min. 37) was what Barcelona gave of itself in attack in the first half; Granada had one against Soldier, in 1940, as the main action.
The Andalusians, who had not finished on goal, tied at 63, through Darwin Machís. A good pass between the lines by Jorge Molina, a bad clearance by Mingueza and Sergi Roberto’s inability to rectify it was the necessary chain of actions that allowed the Venezuelan to equalize the game (1-1, min. 63).
Koeman was expelled in 66 and went on to lead his team from the box and based on voice notes by mobile. From up there, the Dutchman saw it more clearly and realized the obvious, that his team needed to open the field, and, with eighteen minutes remaining, he put Dembélé and Pedri into play and a defense of four.
Despite the absolute dominance of Barça, the Granada gave a new blow. A cross from the right by Adrián Marín and a header from Roberto Molina in 79 for 1-2 and turn the League upside down. And thus the reset of the Catalans was forged, who threw away all the good they had done since the beginning of 2021, the cup title, and the only setbacks against Cádiz and Real Madrid.
And of course, tonight, a painful and unexpected defeat, which prevents him from depending on himself to be a champion and from having to look up again.
Data sheet
1 – Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Mingueza (Pedri, min. 72), Piqué, Umtiti; Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets (Trincao, min. 81), Ilaix Moriba (Dembélé, min. 72), Jordi Alba; Messi and Griezmann.
2 – Granada: Aarón Escandell; Foulquier, Díaz, Nehuén, Germán, Quini; Eteki (Gonalons, min. 61), Herrera, Machís (Adrián Marín, min. 76), Luis Suárez (Fede Vico, min. 86); and Soldier (Jorge Molina, min. 61).
Goals: 1-0, min. 23: Messi. 1-1, min. 63: Machís. 1-2, min. 79: Jorge Molina.
Referee: Pablo González Fuertes (Asturian Committee). Soldado (min. 20), Nehuén (min. 43), Germán Sanchez (min. 89) and Adrián Marín (min.90 + 4) showed yellow. He expelled Ronald Koeman (min. 66)
Incidents: Match corresponding to the thirty-third day of LaLiga, played at the Camp Nou. No spectators.