Barcelona Player Ratings: Monaco Match, Garcia Sent Off
Barcelona's pre-season campaign continued with a 1-1 draw against AS Monaco, a match marred by a controversial red card for young defender Jules Koundé. Despite a dominant performance, the Blaugrana failed to secure a victory, leaving fans with mixed feelings about their preparations for the upcoming season.
Here's a breakdown of the individual performances, with an emphasis on the key talking points:
Key Talking Points:
- Jules Koundé Red Card: The Frenchman received a straight red card for a challenge on Wissam Ben Yedder, an incident that will surely draw debate. While the tackle looked clumsy, it lacked malice, making the decision appear harsh. This incident raises concerns for Barcelona as they head into the season without a crucial defender.
- Dominant Performance: Despite the draw, Barcelona controlled the majority of the game, showcasing their attacking prowess and creating numerous chances. The team demonstrated a clear identity under Xavi, pressing high and looking to dominate possession.
- Promising New Signings: The new additions, like Ilkay Gündoğan, shone brightly, showing their value to the team. Other new faces, like Oriol Romeu and Joao Félix, also had positive moments, indicating the strength of the squad depth.
Player Ratings:
Marc-André ter Stegen (7/10): Stegen was a reliable presence, making several crucial saves and showcasing his strong command of the penalty area. He showed his usual confidence and made a crucial stop in the first half to prevent Monaco from taking the lead.
Sergi Roberto (6/10): Roberto, starting at right-back, offered a steady performance, demonstrating his experience and tactical awareness. He linked well with the midfield and provided a solid defensive presence.
Jules Koundé (5/10): Unfortunately, Koundé's game was overshadowed by the red card. While his defensive contributions were solid, the rash challenge leaves a sour taste. The severity of the suspension is unclear, but it's a significant blow to Barcelona's backline.
Ronald Araújo (7/10): Araújo was a rock at center-back, showcasing his strength and aerial dominance. He cleared numerous threats and won important duels, demonstrating his importance to the team.
Alejandro Balde (6/10): Balde offered his usual attacking drive from the left-back position, combining well with Gavi and creating chances. He showed his athleticism and attacking potential, but lacked a bit of consistency in his defensive duties.
Gavi (7.5/10): A standout performer for Barcelona, Gavi controlled the midfield with his energy, tactical intelligence, and precision passing. He created multiple opportunities for his teammates and demonstrated his growing leadership qualities.
Oriol Romeu (6.5/10): Romeu, making his first start for the club, proved a capable presence in midfield, offering strong defensive support and a reliable outlet for distribution. He brought a sense of calmness and composure to the midfield.
Ilkay Gündoğan (8/10): Gündoğan showcased his class with a commanding performance, dictating the tempo and providing creative spark. He played a key role in building attacks and showed his vision and ability to unlock defenses. He also scored the equalizing goal for Barcelona.
Pedri (6.5/10): Pedri was his usual self, offering intelligent movement and creative passing. He displayed his exceptional vision and ability to create space for himself and his teammates. He needs to find his rhythm in the final third, but overall a solid performance.
Raphinha (6/10): Raphinha started the game with a lot of energy, showing his pace and dribbling ability. However, he lacked a bit of final product, failing to convert his chances. He needs to be more clinical in front of goal, but showed glimpses of his talent.
Joao Félix (7/10): Félix, in his first start for Barcelona, showed flashes of brilliance and impressed with his intelligent movement, technical ability, and playmaking skills. He displayed his potential to be a key attacking player for the club, but needs to gain more match fitness.
Substitutes:
Ansu Fati (6.5/10): Fati added pace and directness to the attack, creating dangerous moments and showing his ability to take on defenders.
Frenkie de Jong (6/10): De Jong came on and provided a calming influence in midfield, showcasing his passing range and ability to control the game.
Conclusion:
The draw against Monaco, despite the red card controversy, gives Barcelona plenty to be optimistic about. They displayed dominance and showcased the potential of their new signings. However, the lack of a clinical edge in front of goal and the absence of Koundé for the foreseeable future are concerns to address before the season begins.
