When making an attempt to win a treble, it is necessary for a group to have the ability to decide up factors after they aren’t at their greatest, and that is simply what Barcelona did in a 4-3 victory over Celta Vigo on Saturday. Targets from Raphinha and Dani Olmo helped flip round what was a 3-1 deficit within the 62nd minute of play for Hansi Flick’s males to safe all three factors.
It has been an emotional week for Barcelona after reserving their place within the Champions League semifinals after getting previous Borussia Dortmund, however the matches will not cease anytime quickly. In the course of the week, Flick known as out schedule congestion, saying, “Each league protects their golf equipment after they play within the Champions League. We have now no time to relaxation.” Simply throughout April, Barcelona can have three video games remaining with a league match versus Mallorca, the Copa Del Rey ultimate versus Actual Madrid, and the primary leg of the Champions League semifinal, the place they’re going to face Inter starting on the finish of the month (you possibly can watch Barca vs. Inter on Paramount+).
These aren’t video games the place Barcelona will have the ability to rotate a lot with trophies and matches with excessive stakes upcoming, and even this conflict confirmed why. Flick tried to relaxation gamers like Lamine Yamal and Gavi, which led to Barcelona permitting a hat trick to Borja Iglesias, giving them fairly a deficit to work out of.
It did not take lengthy after gamers like Yamal and Olmo entered the match for them to make an influence, as Olmo scored solely 5 minutes after his introduction, earlier than Yamal assisted a Raphinha purpose solely 4 minutes later. The Barcelona assault was again to what was anticipated, and finally, Raphinha was in a position to convert a penalty within the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time of play for Barcelona to assert all three factors.
Within the Brazilian’s epic season to this point, this now brings him to twenty-eight objectives and 20 assists in all competitions for Barcelona. He is been a real Ballon d’Or contender and is main this facet again to the higher reaches of La Liga as they’ve now gone seven factors away from Actual Madrid atop the desk for now.
It wasn’t all smiles for Barcelona with striker Robert Lewandowski being subbed out of the match resulting from muscle discomfort. He’ll be assessed, however with so many matches upcoming, Barcelona cannot afford for Lewandowski to overlook a lot time. The Polish striker has scored 40 objectives and assisted three extra for Barcelona in all competitions this season, his greatest return since his 2021-22 season, the place he netted 50 in all competitions for Bayern Munich. With Lewandowski as a focus, Flick has been in a position to create an assault that may drive concern into any group on the earth, which is why Barcelona are within the operating for a treble.
Subsequent up in that quest shall be a Clasico dealing with Actual Madrid within the Copa del Rey ultimate on April 26, and if Lewandowski cannot make that match, will probably be fairly a loss for the group. Actual Madrid have been out of types, getting thrashed in Champions League play by Arsenal, however in rivalry matches, type goes out the window, particularly when a trophy is on the road.
Flick has been in a position to push the precise buttons to this point this season, however he’ll have to proceed doing in order Barcelona cannot afford to slide up throughout these coming matches. It is all the time a problem to win a treble, however with fixture congestion for gamers all over the world rising by the season, it turns into a more durable feat every time it is achieved. Barca has it of their sights, and the primary actual step is subsequent Saturday in opposition to Los Blancos.
