Barça plays and Chelsea wins

The marked clash of styles was taken by Chelsea, who imposed his physique and his speed against the touch and position football of Barcelona, ​​stunned in his proposal but little shot and as slow with the ball at his feet as without him. It was, in any case, a touchdown to discover the new additions such as Griezmann and De Jong, in addition to an excellent set-up for the Valverde team, demanded of the beauty in his first preseason duel by the rival physicist and for the speed of execution in their cons as expressed in the second goal, the final. Thus, according to these differences in tone and rhythm, Barça played with the ball and Chelsea with the result, winner of the first duel of the Rakuten Cup.

Although Can Barça’s everlasting 4-3-3 did not change, Valverde did give clues about how he wants to retouch the team, forced as he is not to be a predictable technician as in the previous course, when he always drove between two players for each position (Dembélé or Coutinho; Arthur or Vidal; Semedo or Sergi Roberto …) and when from the sports area they understand that if their staff stands out for something it is because of the versatility and richness of resources. Curious was the location of the midfielder Oriol Busquets, who acted as he could on the right side while Sergi Roberto returned to the axis of the field as he did during his growth in La Masia. But above all, the ownership of Griezmann as a center forward was significant, until now a position prohibited for anyone by the merits and gallons of Luis Suarez. An example of the competitiveness that lies ahead, well seasoned by the irruptions of young people like Riqui Puig, who every time he touches the ball shows that he has the future at his feet
It happened that the legs of the club are not yet for many trots, especially if in front was a more rounded and electric Chelsea, more predisposed to run than to distribute the ball.
Goal that expressed the difference in tone but that did not drown Barça, more present in the rival area. Oriol Busquets tried it after a corner, but the header shot went high; Dembélé also tested it with two shots, one to the bulge and the other to Kepa’s hands; and he did not get away with Griezmann, willing to break up and even support, perhaps a little limited because the ends pulled inward – especially Collado – to deliver the bands to the lanes. Although when it was understood with Sergi Roberto, his shot was pigeonholed in the tangle of rival players. Chelsea replied to the race, always with football in depth and with Mount as a trampoline and quarterback, as well as with Pulisic as a stiletto because his skirts discolored the Barca behind. As in the one that ended up in the area and that Ter Stegen repelled, and that Abraham threw high when in the cheerful Sinama Stadium – he filled up – he sang a goal.

Concluded the first act, Valverde completely changed the team. Time for De Jong, who needed a few seconds to explain that his football is made under the same cut and pattern as the Barca, comfortable midfielder or midfielder because the field was shared with Rakitic, always so generous and attentive to group needs. Easy touches, always dynamic, that discounted pressure lines or oxygenated the game, calculator with boots. Thus, with more pause and control on the axis, because Rakitic and Aleñá also showed their love for the ball and criteria to move it, Barça became strong in the opposite field. Decoro possible because Malcom and Carles Pérez electrified the bands with their careers, diagonals and centers, also shots. The Brazilian’s left little; the two of the canterano, lukewarm, ended up in Kepa’s hands. But they were not the only ones because Rakitic also tried a whip with the left-handed one too centered and another one of Aleña that demanded the best version of Kepa.

Less was known about Chelsea, which at the time of the match also started with the gear wheel but it was left blank without the ball between the feet, more pending to run backwards than forward. Perhaps he counted a shot from Kennedy at the exit of a corner that deflected Todibo and that took Net time in an example of reflexes. But he was inspired by two cons that caught in Babia the Barca behind. One ended with a good clearance from Neto a chut from Batshuayi; and the other on the net, as Barkley’s shot slipped like a howitzer and stuck to the pole. With everything resolved and already at the discount, Barça achieved the goal of honor after a fall to Rafinha’s band – he took Griezmann’s place – a touch back for Malcolm and a shot from Rakitic’s front that he took the cobwebs to the squad. It was the ideal dessert for a duel without emotion but with the best ingredients to be pre-season, also a warning for Barça because football without auction does not give to conquer Europe.