Barça lives on the ledge but continues to add three by three and counts all their 2021 league matches in victories. There are already six in a row in an eleven-game unbeaten streak (nine wins and two draws) that shape Koeman’s project. A project, always, kept on the shoulders of his captain. Because Lionel Messi is the builder, driver and absolute leader of a team that, in growth, needs him. No discussion.
His first trip of the week to Seville proved it once again. The coach proposed several breaks, with the captain at the helm, and ended up telling him to lead a two-sided Barça, in which Pjanic proved to be very far from what was expected, Riqui lacked support and that he resurrected how Koeman tweaked things. He retraced his steps and was even lucky with the changes …
It all happened after seeing a team hardly recognizable. De Jong, substitute of Araújo, playing of center, Mingueza of lateral, Braithwaite of end, Pjanic of interior without corridors nor combinations, Puig, in his first ownership of league, without accompaniments that opened spaces to him … located and worse linked, the team struggled to find himself until Messi appeared.
“A Barça with Messi is better because he is number one in the world. It’s very important,” said Koeman, who admitted to talking to him on Saturday, “and we decided to give him a break and only go to him if necessary.” “. It was necessary, yes … As usual. And there was the fortune that first Pedri and then Leo and Trincao were transcendental in triumph. The Portuguese with his first goal for Barça.
There was luck … And bad luck too. The bad luck of not counting Araújo among those chosen to rest because the Uruguayan barely held 12 minutes on the grass until he was injured, suffered an ankle sprain and left limping to leave his presence within nine days PSG more in the air than ever.
Barça are badly hurt by the defense. Injured Sergi Roberto, the coach did not risk with Dest but he did with Araújo and now he will have to wait to know the extent of his sprain, leaving much doubt that he can play the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions .