Barcelona, ​​Pedri and Raphinha overturn Osasuna. Piqué, goodbye to football with expulsion

Three gold points at the end of an evening that certifies the character of Xavi’s group. Barça resurrected at Osasuna after a goal conceded from cold and the expulsion of Lewandoski in the 30th minute, creating an incredible comeback in the second half thanks to the flashes of Pedri and Raphinha. The 2-1 of El Sadar gives the Catalans the certainty of the solitary primacy in the standings before the world stop, with Real Madrid now five points away (with one game less). The sore point of the Blaugrana evening is Piqué, who says goodbye to Barça with a direct red remedied during the interval.

TURBO HEALTH

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After the title and the captain’s armband for the last at Camp Nou, Piqué returns to the bench in the farewell match to make room for an unusual central couple, namely Christensen-Alonso. But the Catalans’ defensive strength failed after just five minutes. The pressure and the high center of gravity of the hosts send the dribble of a stormed midfield into a tailspin, Avila’s explosiveness does the rest, immediately creating the first cracks in the blaugrana four-way line. Arrasate’s team starts with vehemence and passes at the first opportunity thanks to a deviation in the scrum of Garcia (on which the Blaugrana uselessly complain about a foul against Alonso). The Catalans understand little or nothing for a good quarter of an hour during which Osasuna builds three clear chances on as many steals.

LEWA AND PIQUé, DOUBLE MADNESS

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Then, as soon as Barça begins to engage, Lewandowski’s incomprehensible “harakiri” further complicates the situation: a bad start on Garcia right under the eyes of referee Gil Manzano and second yellow card in the 30th minute with consequent expulsion. A real nightmare for the Blaugrana, who risk being wrecked again on the plays of Avila and the navarri wielders after the illusion of a tie by Ferran Torres (winning deviation in obvious offside at 45 ‘). The spirits overheat after the referee’s whistle, which the Blaugrana especially demand the expulsion of the Pole, and on the way to the locker rooms Piqué let slip a few words too many. Result: direct expulsion from the bench in the last career match.

PRODIGIOUS OVERTURN

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From bad to worse for the Catalans. But when the defeat seems inevitable, here is the flicker of the jewel of the house: Pedri’s sudden opportunist paw and draw at the first lunge of the second half, the result of a right at the near post from inside the area. The goal regenerates the spirit and the legs of the blaugrana, but the man less is felt. Also because the Osasuna does not give up and resumes pushing, sniffing the great opportunity. The most enterprising? Obviously Chimy Avila, who in the 69th minute forced Ter Stegen to hit the kidneys on a poisonous right from almost 30 meters. The last quarter of an hour is pure suffering, with the hosts attacking with their heads down and Barça playing their last cards with the freshness of Ansu Fati and Raphinha. Moves that turn out to be winning, because in the 86th minute the Brazilian appears on the edge of the offside to pick up a precise invitation from De Jong and mock Fernandez with a head lob that freezes El Sadar. Barça won it on a tightrope after a comeback to the limits of the incredible that can weigh like a boulder in the race for the title.