BREAKING:Astonishing as Barça finish League Phase with entertaining draw at home………..

 

 

Barcelona will finish the inaugural League Phase of the Champions League in second place in the overall standings thanks to a 2-2 draw against Atalanta at the MontjuïcOlympic Stadium on Wednesday night. Barça found themselves ahead twice in the second half but allowed the visitors to come back and earn a point in the Catalan capital, and the Blaugrana will have to settle for a second place finish behind Liverpool.

FIRST HALF

The story was the first half was Barça’s inability to deal with Atalanta’s high press and man-marking defense: the Blaugrana simply could not find a way to create attacks whether they were trying to play the ball short or go long from the back, and their only two moments of relative danger came on two long-distance shots by Lamine Yamal and Raphinha that barely cause any trouble.

La Dea on the other hand created real danger, with a cross from the left wing that required a brilliant intervention by Alejandro Balde to stop the ball from going in, a couple of good headers from set pieces, and a goal by Davide Zappacosta that was ruled out for a narrow offside.

The halftime whistle came to end a period in which Barça were clearly outplayed by the visitors, who played exactly like a team that needed a victory to finish in the Top 8 and sent a clear message that Barça would need something really special to find the winning goals in the second half.

SECOND HALF

Barça found that really special something right at the start of the final period: just 90 seconds in Robert Lewandowski released Raphinha down the left wing with a beautiful pass and the Brazilian played it across to Lamine Yamal, who got to the ball before the goalkeeper and fought off Sead Kolasinac to tap it home and put the home team ahead.

The game suddenly came to life and Atalanta almost equalized immediately on the counter, with Mario Pasalic forcing a big save from Wojciech Szczesny. Barça then almost doubled the lead twice with a free-kick by Raphinha that was saved by Marco Carnesecchi, when Lewandowski missed a huge chance on the counter, and the first 15 minutes of the final period had more action than the entire first half.

Yamal missed another good opportunity shortly after that, and we had reached the point where Barça could pay for not doubling their lead. And that’s exactly what happened when Zappacosta found Éderson at the edge of the box and the Brazilian fired a rocket into the net, and the game was all square with 25 minutes to go.

Barça replied immediately, however, and took the lead back when Raphinha sent a corner into the box and found Ronald Araujo at the far post to head it home and put the Catalans in front again with 20 minutes remaining.

Atalanta were running out of time to make a comeback and keep their Top 8 hopes alive, and Gian Piero Gasperini made attacking substitutions trying to find a second equalizer. And with 10 minutes to go, it came: Marten De Roon played a cross into the box to find Pasalic, and the Croatian passed it home through Szczesny’s legs.

The visitors had plans to push for a winner but had to change them when Giorgio Scalvini went down with a shoulder injury in the 90th minute after Atalanta had already made all five substitutions, forcing the away side to finish the game with 10 men.

Barça dominated possession in the dying minutes and almost scored a winner when Ferran Torres had a certain goal brilliantly saved by Carnesecchi, and the visitors held strong at the back to steal a point when the final whistle came to end a very fun second half.

The League Phase ends with Barça in second spot in the standings, a better path in the knockout stages and a nice bit of prize money. A victory could have given them first place, but this was still a good result and a good second half performance. They won’t have to worry about Europen football until March, and can focus on La Liga and the Copa del Rey until then.

Barcelona: Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Eric (Cubarsí 69’), Balde; De Jong, Pedri (Casadó 80’); Yamal (Víctor 90+6’), Gavi (Fermín 69’), Raphinha; Lewandowski (Ferran 69’)

Goals: Yamal (47’), Araujo (72’)

Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Djmisiti, Hien, Kolasinac (Scalvini 55’); Bellanova (Cuadrado 77’), De Roon, Éderson, Zappacosta (Ruggeri 77’); Pasalic; De Ketelaere (Brescianini 87’), Retegui (Zaniolo 77’)

Goals: Éderson (67’), Pasalic (79’)