O Barcelona he had a dose of luck in a game in which he was pressured by the 'merengues', pushed by their fans, who within a month will have to reverse that result in Barcelona.
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“It's true that we have to come back, but it won't be the first time that we have to come back in a knockout duel”, warned the Whites coach, Carlo Ancelotti, after the game.
O Real Madrid it practically locked down the Catalans, who, deprived of possession of the ball, tried to overcome the home team with counterattacks and long balls.
“The opponent put pressure on us throughout the game. It led us to play this way, but we also have to defend, it's part of the game”, admitted Barça coach, Xavi Hernández, after the game.
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Own goal by Militão
The Merengues concentrated their attacking moves on the left where Vinícius appeared, protagonist of an intense fight throughout the game with Uruguayan Ronald Araujo, to lift balls into the area.
After 15 minutes, Karim Benzema had a goal disallowed for offside (13′), before trying his luck with another shot that was deflected by the defense for a corner (15′).
The captain of Real Madrid didn't have his best night, closely watched by the team's defenders Barça, who intercepted several passes that were looking for the Frenchman.
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Amid the Whites' dominance, a poor pass from Eduardo Camavinga ended with a shot from Franck Kessié that Thibaut Courtois took with his foot, with the misfortune of the rebound hitting Militão and the ball entering his own goal (26′).
The goal changed the match, which had been heating up with many fouls.
O Real Madrid exchanged dominion for precipitation, in the face of a Barça who managed to control the ball a little more until the break.
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The break served to calm the Real Madrid, who upon returning to the field resumed control of the game against a Barcelona very closed at the back.
“We played a good game in terms of control, but we couldn't score,” lamented Courtois after the match.
Pressure without reward
Vinícius forced Ter Stegen to make a saving save on a poisoned cross and it looked like he would be in Barça's goal (49′).
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O Barcelona, pushed into your area by the Real Madrid, Raphinha only had to come out when he managed to steal the ball.
The home team arrived frequently, but without creating any real danger in front of the opponent's goal, while the Barcelona I bet on counterattacks, trying to take advantage of the spaces left behind by the merengue team.
The Catalan team could have increased the lead with another accurate shot from Kessié, but his teammate Ansu Fati, who had replaced Raphinha (69′), took the ball away from the correct address (72′).
In the last 15 minutes, the Barcelona barely left his field, but the Real Madrid I couldn't find the last pass to tie the match.
“We could have done better, but it was difficult to find gaps in the last third. They were very closed, we tried with crosses, but we weren't very forceful”, said Ancelotti.
Rodrygo, who replaced Nacho (67′), tried his luck in the last moments with a shot that went wide (90′).
The merengue team continued to surround Ter Stegen's goal, but the team's resistance Barcelona It worked and the team gained the victory and the advantage.
(To AFP)
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