Barça y Espanyol empatan un derby de trifulcas (1-1)

Barça y Espanyol empatan un derby de trifulcas

The 'culés' are still leaders but even on points with Real Madrid

BARCELONA, 31 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Catalan derby between FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol to close out 2022 ended in a draw (1-1) at the Camp Nou, in a duel full of brawls that went crazy at the end between multiple cards and expulsions, one per band , and that leaves Barça in the lead but now tied on points with Real Madrid, the moral winner of this derby.

Barça missed a game that seemed to be under control in a crazy second half. Xavi Hernández's team started strong, with dominance, chances and a goal from Marcos Alonso in strategic action. But Espanyol equalized with a penalty and that's where the madness of cards and decisions began that broke up a derby that ended up tense.

'A derby is a derby', says the cliché. And it was fulfilled. Barça went from more to less, faded after being tied with a penalty that was as fair and clear as it was unnecessary (Marcos Alonso accidentally stepped on Joselu, not even looking) and got lost among brawls and disputes that are 'anti-football' in the philosophy of Xavi's team.

The expulsions of Jordi Alba, first, and of Vini de Souza later began to stir the hornet's nest. Cabrera was also expelled from Espanyol, with a direct red card, but the VAR entered for Mateu Lahoz to annul it, considering that the defender accidentally stepped on Robert Lewandowski's head.

The Polish forward of Barça, a great protagonist of the previous derby due to the very precautionary court order that allowed him to play despite being sanctioned, was rather gray. Of course, he had two clear chances to score, one in the final stretch of the match, which did not go in for very little.

The one who did score, with Lewandowski's participation in the play, was Marcos Alonso to put Barça ahead in the 7th minute, in an aerial action that blew up the Camp Nou. Gavi, just before, made the 'perico' goalkeeper Álvaro Fernández shine, who had a great performance to get even for bad games that are already in the past.

Another header from Marcos Alonso to Jordi Alba's cross, a deflected shot from Ansu Fati and a cross shot from Raphinha well deflected by Álvaro were the chances wasted, along with those from Robert Lewandowski, for a Barça that could not sentence and that paid expensive not to put a 2-0 on the scoreboard. And it is that Espanyol, from a penalty and in his only shot on goal, put the final 1-1.

The equalizing goal was scored by Joselu, who was kicked off by Marcos Alonso when he stepped on him from behind. A clear penalty, although silly because it was unnecessary, that the blue and white striker scored at 73', throwing it down the middle, low. Ter Stegen went to the left of him and almost did not deflect it with his feet.

From there, football disappeared, as if it had been expelled, too, by a Mateu Lahoz who was almost more of a protagonist than the ball. Even so, the 'perico' goalkeeper Álvaro was key against Andreas Christensen and Robert Lewandowski in a heart-stopping final stretch, with soaring heartbeats and few chances, all of them Blaugrana in that 10-on-10 match.

With this tie, Barça does not lose the top of the table but is now the leader of LaLiga Santander with the same 38 points as Real Madrid, co-leader. The whites, who beat Valladolid on this last day of 2022, were the moral winners of a Catalan derby that was hot and played like the best duels of yesteryear.

--RESULT: FC BARCELONA, 1 - RCD ESPANYOL, 1 (1-0, at halftime).

FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto (82 mins), Christensen, Marcos Alonso, Jordi Alba; De Jong (Bucket, min.82), Gavi (Busquets, min.52), Pedri; Raphinha (Dembele, 62nd minute), Lewandowski and Ansu Fati (Ferran Torres, 62nd minute).

RCD SPANISH: Álvaro Fernández; Gil (Rubén, min.90), Sergi Gómez, Cabrera, Oliván (Aleix Vidal, min.90); Vini de Souza, Calero (Edu Expósito, min.57); Melamed (Puado, min.57), Darder, Braithwaite (Simo, min.86); and Joselu.

1-0. Min.7, Marcos Alonso.

1-1. Min.73, Joselu (p).

--REFEREE: Mateu Lahoz (Valencian C.). He admonished Ansu Fati (min.25), Gavi (min.30), Ferran Torres (min.75), Pedri (min.76), Raphinha (min.90 6), Arnau Tenas (min.90 6), Xavi (min.90 7) at FC Barcelona and Oliván (min.31), Cabrera (min.31), Calero (min.55), Edu Expósito (min.74), Puado (min.90 6) at RCD Spanish. He sent off Jordi Alba for a double warning (min.74 and min.78) at FC Barcelona and Vini de Souza for a double warning (min.74 and min.80) at RCD Espanyol.

--STADIUM: Camp Nou, 88,095 spectators.