Barcelona 5-2 Valencia: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis | La Liga Analysis 19/20
Barcelona thrashed Valencia 5-2 in a La Liga encounter at the Camp Nou. The hosts started on the front foot and dominated possession in the early exchanges.
After a minute and fifty-one seconds, they surged ahead when wonderkid, Ansu Fati finished off a flowing move. In the 7th minute, Frenkie de Jong got himself on the score-sheet after arriving late in the box to smash home Ansu’s cross.
Kevin Gameiro halved the deficit in the 27th minute but that acted merely as a consolation rather than a springboard for an improbable comeback.
After the break, Gerard Pique scored in the 51st minute and Luis Suarez increased the hosts’ lead ten minutes later.
The Uruguayan got his second of the evening when he got the better of Jasper Cillessen 8 minutes from time.
Valencia, though, pulled a goal back in injury time when Maxi Gomez popped up in the penalty box to prod past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
Here is a look at the talking points from the game.
#5 Ansu Fati puts on a show in the first half
The Blaugrana were dealt a couple of major blows at the start of the season. Firstly, Lionel Messi was struck down by injury and then Barcelona lost the services of Luis Suarez.
Immediately, the onus fell on the club’s youngsters to stand and be counted. And, when accorded an opportunity at the Camp Nou, Ansu Fati did so, and rather emphatically.
The teenager looked lively throughout the first half and caused the Valencia defence all sorts of problems.
In the 2nd minute, he outfoxed the defensive line and timed his run to perfection. De Jong saw the youngster’s movement and fed him a cross from the right flank.
Ansu Fati made no mistake and calmly stroked the ball past Jasper Cillessen’s left hand.
A few minutes later, the duo reversed roles as the debutant turned provider for de Jong.
A clever shimmy flummoxed Daniel Wass and Ansu Fati made his way into the penalty area. Thereafter, he left Ezequiel Garay for dead with an exquisite piece of skill.
The teenager then had the composure to lift his head and pick the right pass, in the process, laying the ball on a plate for de Jong to finish.
Apart from the goal and assist, Ansu Fati was a constant thorn in the Valencia side and he pulled out a variety of skills and tricks.
Moreover, the Camp Nou terraces were left enthralled with the youngster’s silky display in the first half and subsequently, cheered the loudest when he received the ball.
Years ago, in the early 2000s, an Argentine teenager from La Masia captured everyone’s imagination and went on to scale great peaks as a footballer. And, though it would be too premature to start comparing Ansu Fati with Messi, there certainly is a similar buzz surrounding the former at the moment.
Only time will tell how this tale transpires.