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Barcelona squeezed a critical win over Porto on Tuesday night courtesy of goals from Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix. The pressure was very much on Xavi and his men ahead of kickoff, but the Azulgranas did not allow the factor to influence their performance.
The first half did not do justice to the quality Xavi’s side had on the field, but their performance after the break was much improved. With this win, the Blaugranas have turned their situation around ahead of the critical fixtures against Atletico Madrid and Girona.
Barça Universal brings you three talking points from Barcelona 2-1 Porto.
Tangible improvement
Tuesday night’s win was much needed from Barcelona’s point of view. For a team in jeopardy and drowning in pressure, it does not get more reassuring than a comeback UEFA Champions League win.
The Catalans were far from perfect against the Portuguese champions and were under pressure, especially in the first half. However, their performance after the break was one of the best they have shown in recent weeks.
There has not been much to celebrate about Barcelona’s games in recent times. Their wins have been scrappy, with defeats and draws no longer drawing an element of surprise. Last night’s win, on that front, is a big confidence booster to the dressing room and serves as a mental reset ahead of two equally critical clashes.
For starters, Inaki Pena was one of the team’s standout performers on the night as he rose to the occasion with four saves from inside the box. The defence looked far more reassuring with Ronald Araujo, Inigo Martinez, and Jules Kounde part of the back four.
Pedri and Frenkie de Jong looked far closer to their best versions, albeit still tangibly away from their pinnacles. Nevertheless, they appeared in control in the middle of the park and compensated for Ilkay Gundogan’s day off.
There is still a long way to go for Xavi’s men, but they appear to be on the right track towards resurgence. The coming games will give a…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/three-talking-points-from-barcelona-2-1-fc-porto-uefa-champions-league/
Author : Adithya Eshwarla
Publish date : 2023-11-29 08:35:49
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