There are stages that close in style because they deserve it. There are journey endings that leave the heart full and the mind at peace. And there are goodbyes that perfectly summarize a cycle. Lewandowski had all of that, a forward of an era who gave four magnificent years to Barcelona. And Barça also achieved everything, putting the finishing touch on the league won by becoming the first team to win all home games in a 20-team league. The blaugrana achieved a full 19 with their victory over Betis.
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Captain, starter, applauded, honored, and bid farewell with honors but Lewandowski could not leave with his last goal at Spotify Camp Nou. They were scored by Raphinha, twice, and Cancelo, on a night that changes the theory that the club does not know how to say goodbye to its stars.
Perfection
No one had won all their home games in a 20-team league
Of the six Barça players who have been chosen in the league’s ideal eleven, five were starters in Hansi Flick’s team. Only Lamine Yamal was missing, injured. That reflects that the German coach and the locker room were especially eager to finish winning in front of their fans.
Without the number 10, Raphinha returned to the lineup (he hadn’t been since March 22) and did so as a right winger. In Lamine’s absence, Rashford, Rooney, and also the Brazilian have passed through there. It was noticeable that it was a position he knew (it was his favorite) and also that the World Cup is just around the corner because his electric and multitasking version returned.
The only downside
Captain, starter, applauded, honored, and bid farewell with honors but Lewandowski could not leave with his last goal at Spotify Camp Nou
Betis showed up with two fullbacks who had a brief stint at Barcelona, Bellerín and Firpo. And precisely through those wings, Raphinha and Fermín found opportunities to progress. The Brazilian took only 4 minutes to unbalance the Dominican and test Valles’ hands. Soon after, the Andalusian did the same with Bellerín but his shot was also saved by the goalkeeper.
The Barcelonans had detected that those highways had no tolls and traveled them again and again like Route 66. That harmed Lewandowski’s interests because his forward teammates always had clear shooting options. Like in the run Raphinha made, surpassing Firpo, Amrabat, and Gómez before facing Valles, who prevented the goal with his face.
Although Betis qualified to play in the Champions League, the midfield was constantly overwhelmed thanks to the presence of Marc Bernal and his coverages and the energy of Gavi, who performs well no matter where he is placed. In a counterattack, Antony was caught offside, invalidating Abde’s goal.
But the action was in the other area where Raphinha tortured Firpo, who brought him down at the edge of the box with a clear foul. The situation was almost the same as Rashford’s free kick in the clásico and the Brazilian asked for it to shoot with his left foot. Valles thought the ball would go over the wall and exposed his post. Raphinha surprised him by slipping it through there. A completely different execution from Rashford’s but with the same result: 1-0.
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If that score did not change, it was thanks to a spectacular dive and butterfly save by Joan Garcia that left Abde, who already saw himself celebrating the equalizer at Spotify Camp Nou, speechless. It was the goalkeepers’ moment because Valles also frustrated Fermín just before halftime.
Betis gained confidence at halftime with the entries of Isco and Bakambú to become a more recognizable team, while Cancelo positioned himself as a winger ahead of Balde in what seemed like an attempt to load the area with crosses seeking Lewandowski’s finish.
But what came was Raphinha’s second after a fatal error by Bellerín in the ball’s exit. The Brazilian recovered in the attacking third and without opposition placed the ball close to the post at the bottom. There is no longer any doubt that the player finishes with the same strength as always and again with more than 20 goals.
Even a holiday had its share of controversy when VAR insisted on seeing a penalty by Gavi on Isco, which the former Madrid player converted. Barcelona did not suffer because Cancelo restored calm to say goodbye to a Lewandowski who came close to scoring but had to settle for a substitution and up to four ovations. A perfect end in sports (Barça) and sentiment (Lewandowski).
Technical sheet
Barcelona, 3 – Betis, 1
Barcelona: Joan Garcia, Koundé, Eric Garcia (Araújo 63), Gerard Martín, Cancelo, Gavi, Bernal (Olmo 75), Pedri, Raphinha (Bardghji 63), Fermín (Balde 46), Lewandowski (Casadó 85)
Coach: Hansi Flick
Betis: Valles, Bellerín, Natan, Gómez, Firpo, Fidalgo (Bakambu 46), Amrabat (Roca 79), Deossa, Antony (Ávila 85), Lo Celso (Isco 46) and Abde (Riquelme 79).
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Coach: Manuel Pellegrini
Stadium: Spotify Camp Nou. 56,670 spectators.
Referee: Cuadra Fernández (Balearic).
Card: Yellow for Koundé.
Goals: 1-0 Raphinha (28); 2-0 Raphinha (62); 2-1 Isco (p) (67); 3-1 Cancelo (74)
