RC Celta and FC Barcelona shared the points after a hard-fought match in front of more than 24,500 Celta fans. The pupils of Claudio Giráldez managed to overcome this Saturday at Abanca Balaídos to a 2-0 of Hansi Flick’s team in a heart-stopping final played by the sky blue youth team.
With the best entry of the course at home (24,573 fans) and the soundtrack Abraham Cupeiro, the clash between celestes and azulgranas dressed up as a movie. The performance of the player from Lugo with his carnix, evoked the warrior spirit of the Celtic ancestors as a perfect metaphor of what was to come: passion, tension and script twists typical of any good Ridley Scott film.
Under this premise, the match started with a determined, solid and tough RC Celta. However, FC Barcelona, true to their style, took advantage of their first great opportunity to take the lead. In the 15th minute, Raphinha opened the scoring with a precise shot that put the visitors ahead for the first 45 minutes.
The script hardly changed in the second half. Celta insisted on their plan, maintained their vertical play and high pressing that complicated Barça, but Hansi Flick’s team, with their usual punch, extended the lead in their first attack of the second half. In the 61st minute, Robert Lewandowski made it 0-2, putting the sword in the home side’s wound.
Destiny seemed sealed, but the sky blue warriors were not ready to give up and threw in their Celtic DNA. With the match on the verge of ending, Giráldez’s men took advantage of Marc Casadó’s sending-off to intensify their pressure and rewrite the story in the closing stages. With five minutes to go, Alfon rekindled the hopes of the Celtic fans with a goal that unleashed euphoria in Balaídos and inspired Hugo Álvarez to equalize two minutes later with a goal that unleashed delirium in the stands.
It was a great end to a great match, which gave the Celestes a point and renewed confidence ahead of their next match, which will take place on Saturday, November 30 at 18:30h against RCD Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
2- RC Celta: Guaita; Javi Rodríguez, Starfelt, Marcos Alonso; Mingueza, Ilaix Moriba, Fran Beltrán (Hugo Sotelo, 75′), Hugo Álvarez; Bamba (Alfon González, 62′), Douvikas (Borja Iglesias, 75′), Iago Aspas.
2- FC Barcelona: Iñaki Peña; Koundé, Pau Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Gerard Martín (Héctor Fort, 46′); Marc Casadó, Pedri (Fermín López, 75′); Raphinha, Dani Olmo, Gavi (Frenkie De Jong, min. 75); Lewandowski.
Goals: 0-1 Raphinha (15′); 0-2 Lewandowski (61′); 1-2 Alfon González (84′); 2-2 Hugo Álvarez (86′).
Referee: Soto Grado (Riojan committee). Yellow cards for home team Iago Aspas (45+2′), Javi Rodríguez (60′), Ilaix Moriba (90+3′) and Marcos Alonso (90+5′) and for FC Barcelona Gerard Martín (3′) and Marc Casadó (75′). In addition, Marc Casadó (82′) was sent off for a double yellow card.
Incidents: Match corresponding to matchday 14 of LALIGA EA SPORTS played at Abanca Balaídos in front of 24,573 spectators.
