Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Barcelona: Blaugrana Player Ratings as Ferran Torres and Frenkie de Jong combine for vintage Barca goal | UEFA Europa League 2021-22
Eintracht Frankfurt hosted Barcelona in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-final in a late clash on April 7. The game ended at 1-1 after 90 minutes of well-balanced and exciting attacking football from both sides.
Eintracht came into the first-leg tie on the back of a hard-fought 3-2 aggregate win over Real Betis in the previous round. Their opponents Barca edged out Turkish side Galatasaray in a similarly tight contest, winning 2-1 on aggregate to progress.
On the way to Frankfurt!
Have a safe flight, @FCBarcelona! See you soon...🤜🤛
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Both sides started sharply and looked confident going forward. Ferran Torres opened the firing with the game's first attempt. His shot sailed towards the top left corner and required a fully-stretched fingertip save from Kevin Trapp. Eintracht soon hit back with a move of their own, with Djibril Sow missing a glorious chance from inside the box.
The game settled as the half progressed, with both sides carving inroads into opposition territory without threatening to score a goal. Adama Traore made some darting runs on the right flank, passing defenders with ease using his explosive pace. However, he failed to provide an end product for his team.
Filip Kostic caused trouble on Barca's left side as well with his dribbling and threat from crosses. He provided no end product either, resulting in a quiet first half showing overall.
Barcelona suffered a penalty scare around the 40-minute mark when the referee penalized Sergio Busquets for tripping Kostic in the box. However, after a VAR review, it was confirmed that the Spaniard had won the ball first and the referee duly reversed his decision.
The German side showed composure and continued to break through Barcelona's lines towards the end of the half. However, their attempts were off target as the sides went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.
Eintracht began the second half on the front foot and took the lead a few minutes after the restart. Ansgar Knauff controlled the ball with a cushioned touch before rifling it towards goal. The spin that took it away from Marc-Andre ter Stegen and into the top right corner to make it 1-0 to the hosts.
What. A. Goal.
Ansgar Knauff, remember the name 💫
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Barca clawed their way back into the tie with some smart substitutions and trademark passing combinations to break opposition lines. They were rewarded for their persistence in the 66th minute after Ferran Torres applied the final touch to a masterclass of a passing move to equalize.
Things got interesting as Tuta received his marching orders after committing a second bookable offense in the 77th minute. Down to 10 men, Eintracht continued to play with vigor and intent. They held a deep low-block as full-time approached and were successful in keeping their opponents at bay to keep the score at 1-1.
Barca will go into the second leg with several positives to build on to clinch the tie on home turf. Playing in front of a packed Camp Nou ought to help them.
With that said, let's take a look at Barcelona's player ratings from tonight's match.
Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 5.5/10
The German had a few clumsy moments and bloopers but was bailed out by his teammates. However, his luck ran out when Barcelona conceded soon after the second half resumed from a shot he could not have saved. Had a shaky game with limited involvement.
Ronald Araujo - 6/10
The Uruguayan was deployed out of position but did a great job of keeping the ever-troublesome Filip Kostic relatively quiet. His mature decision-making and ability to play in multiple positions helped Barca negate their opponents' attack effectively. He won three duels, made two interceptions and played five successful long balls.
Gerard Pique - 3.5/10
The veteran looked off-color right from the start of the game. His positioning was innacurate and he was caught out a few times by the opposition. Pique moved around gingerly for a while before pulling up with an injury halfway through the first half. He was replaced by Clement Lenglet.
Eric Garcia - 6.5/10
Garcia moved around the defense a bit due to unexpected circumstances unfolding around him. He did well to cope with the pressure and put in a decent shift, making some great sliding tackles and defending well. He played 98 accurate passes with an accuracy of 94%.
Jordi Alba - 7/10
The super energetic left-back took up some great attacking positions early in the game and combined well with Ferran Torres and Gavi throughout. Made a great effort to stay involved in Barca's attack. He helped expand Eintracht from the left wing to create space for his teammates.
Pedri - 7/10
A relatively quiet performance by Pedri after his incredible match-winning goal in La Liga last week. He passed the ball well and created some wonderful quick moves with his teammates to progress towards goal. The Spaniard created two scoring chances in the match.
Sergio Busquets - 7.5/10
A composed performance by the veteran midfielder. Busquets helped anchor the midfield and played a key role in organizing Barcelona's formation and pressing patterns in midfield. He suffered a scare towards the end of the first half after a penalty was awarded against him. However, following a VAR check, the decision was reversed and the Spaniard's blushes were saved.
Gavi - 7/10
Despite a slow start by his center backs, the young midfielder played his heart out. He made some key interceptions in the first half and set the tone for the rest of the match with some strong challenges on bigger players like Martin Hinteregger. Overall a combative performance from the youngster.
Adama Traore - 6.5/10
The robust winger was a thorn in the side of Eintracht's defenders. He made several darting runs through midfield and on the flank in the first half, completing all of his eight dribbles. However, he lacked an end product and was subbed off at the hour mark after failing to impact the course of the game.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 5.5/10
The Gabon international made some good runs into key attacking areas in the first half. However, his energy levels and enthusiasm seemed to trail off as the game progressed and he misplaced several passes. Had a great chance in the first half to put Barcelona ahead but shot the ball awkwardly and did not even get what looked like a clear-cut corner.
Ferran Torres - 8/10
The Spaniard made a lively start and took the first shot of the game in the third minute - an effort that required a fingertip save from Kevin Trapp. Combined well with Alba and Gavi on the left wing and was Barcelona's only real threat in attack alongside Adama. Scored a lovely goal after some silky combination play to equalize for Barca midway through the second half.
Frenkie de Jong and Ferran Torres combine for a vintage Barcelona goal 🤌 https://t.co/sHnQXwD4HZ
Barcelona Substitutes
Clement Lenglet - 6/10
The Frenchman was brought on early in the game to replace the injured Pique. He deputized well in place of the Spaniard and put in an assured performance. Being a natural left-footed center back helped his side move the ball around with extra quickness and different angles.
Ousmane Dembele - 6.5/10
He came on at the hour mark and combined well with his teammates. Dembele made a few brilliant one-two passing moves into the box but did not have any end product which ultimately proved costly.
Frenkie de Jong - 7/10
The Dutch midfielder came on at the hour mark, replacing Gavi. His presence in midfield allowed Barcelona to control the ball better in the opponent's half. However, it was at the expense of defensive stability for a short span.
Once he settled in, de Jong controlled the game from the heart of midfield. He also provided an assist for Barcelona's goal - a wonderfully worked team move.