Barcelona continues to demand a lot from its players, and it is only natural. La Blaugrana are among the top sides in Europe and to compete at that level consistently they need players that can reciprocate those demands. While some underperform, others manage to exceed expectations.
El Clasico ended up in disappointment for the Catalan giants. Losing 2-1 to their bitter rivals, Barcelona feel even more hard done by as they were the better of the two teams on the day. However, all that being said, five of Barça’s players still managed to step up on the big day.
Barcelona’s shining stars
As highlighted by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona had five stars that truly shined against Real Madrid. These players included two youngsters from the midfield and three juggernauts of the defense.
Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen and Inigo Martinez all managed to prove their worth against Los Blancos.
La Masia gems
In the case of both Gavi and Fermin Lopez, the two midfielders combined to dismantle Madrid for much of the game. The 19-year-old Gavi played more as a transitional player alongside Ilkay Gundogan, while Fermin occupied a more advanced role. Both the prodigious La Masia talents showcased their utility and quality in different ways.
Gavi showcased his defensive resilience for much of the game, keeping Jude Bellingham in particular at bay. His tackles, ball recoveries, chances created and duels won were all crucial aspects that kept Barcelona in control.
On the other hand, Fermin offered Barcelona a much more offensive outlet. Creating dangerous opportunities for his teammates while ensuring they’re maintained control in a midfield even against seasoned Madrid veterans showcased exactly why this 20-year-old is a special talent.
Uruguayan blockade
Then comes the contributions of the three defenders. Ronald Araujo, deployed as a right-back to contain Vinicius Jr, left no stone unturned. One of the most capable dribblers in world football, Vinicius Jr was able to complete a grand total of 0 dribbles against his Uruguayan marker.
That alone could testify to enough of Araujo’s defensive quality, but he even managed to thwart the Madrid goal as well as lead him to be fouled in the box for a potential penalty that was ultimately not given.
The Dane and the Spaniard
Lastly, both Andreas Christensen and Inigo Martinez were also a resilient duo against Real Madrid. For much of the game, they allowed Los Blancos not a single window to attack Ter Stegen’s goal.
The two goals that Barcelona ended up conceding could not even be attributed to a lapse in their judgement. One was a shot from distance that the midfield should have have prevented, and the other was a freak deflection that no one could have anticipated.
Rather, both of them, in their respective ways, helped Barcelona significantly. Andreas Christensen played his role perfectly, clearing any wayward advances that came his way and progressing the ball safely forward.
Inigo Martinez was the much more vocal of the two defenders. He made some dangerously incisive progressive passes as well. Despite Araujo playing the fullback role, both the Danish and Spanish defenders held their own quite well.
Their displays managed to showcase the impressive depth and quality that Barcelona possess in terms of their defense this season.
