So, the new era ushers in. Barcelona are now without their artist Lionel Messi but the canvas has to be painted. New artists must rise. The game against Real Sociedad showed a glimpse of what to expect from Barcelona in the upcoming season.
A Martin Braithwaite brace, Gerard Pique‘s poetic goal and Sergi Roberto’s late goal sealed the victory for the Catalans. The Blaugrana did falter a bit, late in the second half, after being 3-0 up, conceding two goals in three minutes. For brief five minutes, the deepest of despairs mingled with undying hope of La Real salvaging a result against Barcelona but Roberto killed every last bit of hope with his stoppage time goal.
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Barcelona started strongly, displaying best bits of their football in the first half. Depay, Eric Garcia, Emerson Royal and Nico Gonzalez all made their Barcelona debuts. The Catalans won their first home game 4-2 in presence of fans, giving delight to the supporters who were unhappy with the departure of Messi. Barca now faces a tricky away trip to San Memes on 21st August.
Here are the Barcelona player ratings:
Neto – 6
There was very little Neto could do to stop Mikel Oyarzabal’s brilliantly struck free kick. Apart from conceding two goals, Neto did a respectable job, especially with his long ball distribution. Real Sociedad pressed hard hoping to take advantage of Neto’s slightly weak distribution compared to Barca’s first choice in goal, Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Defence:
Sergino Dest – 7
Sergino Dest provided threat on the right wing as he thrust forward on several occasions. The USMNT star looked tired in the second half and was taken off for Emerson Royal. Even defensively, he was key in stopping a quick counter from La Real and was sound in most of his passing.
Eric Garcia – 7.5
Eric Garcia had a smooth Barcelona debut and was right in the mix making important interceptions. He dealt with Oryazabal well in most situations and was reliable with his distribution. Garcia will certainly improve with his movement as he understands his new teammates better with time.
Gerard Pique – 8.5
How poetic was it? One of the most loyal players at the club, took a massive pay cut to get the new signings registered and he was the first goalscorer of the new era, assisted by Depay, a player who was registered thanks to Pique. Defensively, he coped well with Oyarzabal and restricted Portu. With Messi gone, Pique becomes more important than ever in the dressing room as well as on the pitch.
Jordi Alba – 7
Jordi Alba came very close to scoring a goal and extending the lead to 3-0. Alba and Messi shared a telepathic relationship but with no Argentine maestro around, Alba now has to form new partnerships. His combination play with Memphis was impressive but the sight of him cutting back from the left to be smashed home by Messi won’t be a sight that will be relived this season and beyond.
Midfield:
Sergio Busquets – 7
Sergio Busquets still shows why he is so important for the team. The Spaniard often pressed the Sociedad players to prevent an attack and distributed the ball fairly brilliantly. He did seem a bit tired at the end which is understandable after a long summer with Spain at the Euros. He quietly did his bit on the pitch as others around enjoyed the fanfare.
Frenkie de Jong – 8
Frenkie de Jong was relentless with his constant pressing and continuous motion around the park. He assisted Braithwaite’s first goal, putting in an accurate cross. He’s one of the most important players this season and his performance against La Real showcased that.
Pedri – 7
At this point, Pedri seems to be a relentless machine with no physical or mental limits. He remarkably started the game after having no holiday, playing 73 games last season. The 18-year-old looked refreshed, never showing any signs of tiredness or fatigue. The Spaniard came close to scoring in the second half.
Attack:
Memphis Depay – 8
Like a small child desiring toffees from his mother, Ronald Koeman desperately wanted the club board to sign Memphis Depay. This game proved why Koeman had been persuading the board to sign Depay. The Dutchman was the star of the show. Electric, mobile and omnipresent.
He dropped between the lines, he executed the role of being a target man to near perfection, he showed off some glitz and glamour earlier on, to which Aihen responded by just pulling the Barcelona No.9 down.
Depay created chances and looked to be the fulcrum of the new attack. It was an eventful debut and if he continues to perform with such intensity, the pain of Messi’s departure will lessen by a bit.
Antoine Griezmann – 7
If there’s one player who has to step up the most after Messi’s departure, it is Antoine Griezmann. He has no excuses now and has to be the face of Barca’s attack. The Frenchman looked very dangerous early on in the first half and was sharp as ever. His work rate can never be questioned.
Martin Braithwaite – 9
Ironically, he’s the player Barcelona are looking to sell. He may not even be in Koeman’s first choice once Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele return from injury. Yet, he showed what Barca missed all this time. A powerful, quick and clinical No.9.
Started the game in electric fashion, testing Alex Remiro. Along with Depay, Martin Braithwaite was the runner in the team. He scored a brace, assisted Roberto’s goal and created two big chances, this was probably Braithwaite’s best performance in a Blaugrana shirt He pressed up top, drew defenders away and was clinical.
Were you impressed with Barcelona’s showing in the first La Liga game of the season?