Barcelona beat Actual Madrid in New York thanks to 2 objectives from their in-form ahead Pau Victor after a thunderstorm had precipitated an hour delay early within the first half.
Hansi Flick’s aspect will take confidence from the win, having additionally crushed Manchester Metropolis on penalties final week, whereas Madrid have misplaced each their opening video games in the US (after a 1-0 defeat to AC Milan on Thursday).
The primary-half delay didn’t dampen the spirits of the 82,154 supporters on the MetLife Stadium, and so they chanted, “Sure we will” whereas taking shelter from the storm.
Victor put Barcelona forward shortly earlier than half-time after which doubled their lead after 54 minutes. Nico Paz pulled a aim again for Madrid with eight minutes to play.
Laia Cervello Herrero and Guillermo Rai analyse the important thing speaking factors…
Nico Paz finishes glorious week with a superb aim
A younger Barcelona workforce imposed themselves in opposition to Madrid, nevertheless it wasn’t all dangerous for Carlo Ancelotti’s aspect. In addition to 16-year-old defender Joan Martinez, one other participant who stood out was Paz, who changed Endrick within the second half.
The 19-year-old playmaker is among the brightest abilities from Actual Madrid’s youth academy and he scored his aspect’s solely aim with a diving header.
“I noticed there was a number of house on the far submit and I went for it,” Paz stated after the match.
Paz scores in opposition to Barcelona (Charly Triballeau/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
After per week of lighting up Actual Madrid’s open coaching classes, this aim was a reward for his onerous work.
Paz has proven that he can management the workforce’s tempo, has nice approach and, above all, is a hazard in entrance of aim.
Regardless of not getting a lot enjoying time within the 2023-24 season, he performed a vital half within the Champions League victory in opposition to Napoli in November. Launched with the rating at 2-2, he scored his first aim in senior soccer to place Madrid in entrance earlier than Joselu sealed a 4-2 win.
The Madrid teaching workers imagine he could make the step as much as the primary workforce however members of the membership’s board doubt whether or not he can earn a beginning position of their midfield.
His future is unsure however his high quality is unquestionable.
Guillermo Rai
Does Pau Victor deserve a spot in Flick’s first workforce?
After three objectives and two man-of-the-match shows in opposition to Manchester Metropolis and Actual Madrid, the brief reply appears to be: sure.
Victor was Barcelona B’s prime scorer final season with 18 objectives, which made him the highest scorer in Spain’s third tier too. He’s utilizing this pre-season to attempt to persuade Flick that he can reproduce that kind on the highest degree.
His efficiency in opposition to Madrid was glorious. He generated extra alternatives and fought for each ball. His explosiveness in direction of aim is one thing his team-mate Robert Lewandowski has been missing in pre-season. Nonetheless, in contrast to Lewandowski, who has scored greater than 600 objectives in his profession, Victor has all the pieces to show.
Victor performs each recreation as if his life depends upon getting a constructive end result for his workforce, and he’s having a huge impact. He scored Barcelona’s first aim simply earlier than half-time with a header and firstly of the second half, added a second, turning the ball in from shut vary after a cross from the correct.
Victor, who was born roughly 15 kilometres from Camp Nou, compelled Thibaut Courtois into making a number of good saves. Within the 12 minutes earlier than the sport was stopped due to the storm, the one probability was a Victor header that Courtois did nicely to maintain out. Within the second half, a left-footed shot simply earlier than his second aim prompted one other sturdy save from Courtois.
“We’ll see what occurs with Pau Victor. Two video games, three objectives, not dangerous. The door to the primary workforce is all the time open,” Flick stated in his press convention after the sport.
Laia Cervello Herrero
Vinicius Junior is Madrid’s chief — as standard
Vinicius Jr didn’t play within the first match of the tour in opposition to AC Milan and was not a starter on this weekend’s El Clasico — however he was nonetheless Actual Madrid’s chief.
The 24-year-old striker, who was a part of Brazil’s workforce at Copa America this summer season, got here on shortly after half-time in opposition to Barcelona and was relentless in attacking the right-back Alex Valle, after which doing the identical to Valle’s substitute Hector Fort.
If Madrid had obtained an equaliser, it could have been from Vinicius Jr’s slaloms down their left-hand aspect. He was stopped twice, first by Marc Casado after which by the goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
“Vinicius, Vinicius!” the MetLife crowd chanted enthusiastically as he warmed up on the sideline, and so they raised the noise a degree on his command.
Ancelotti was filled with reward for his influence when talking after the match.
Guillermo Rai
How have Barcelona improved since final season?
What has been most spectacular on this tour is how Barcelona’s younger gamers have managed the strain.
Towards Manchester Metropolis, there have been greater than 63,000 individuals within the stands and stars Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish lining up for Pep Guardiola’s aspect.
In New Jersey, this was a Clasico — by no means only a ‘pleasant’ — and Vinicius Jr was concerned for Madrid. The stands have been full of greater than 82,000 followers, however the clear Madrid majority made it really feel like an away recreation for Barcelona.
Barcelona have fun Pau Victor’s aim (Charly Triballeau/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
Confronted with these circumstances, they didn’t shrink or cover at any second.
“The key is that we’re actually having fun with enjoying soccer,” Casado, the 20-year-old midfielder, instructed the press a couple of days in the past.
“It took me 10 minutes to acclimatise to the followers after which I didn’t even give it some thought,” Marc Bernal, the 17-year-old midfielder, stated after the win in opposition to Madrid.
Then there was Sergi Dominguez, the 19-year-old centre-back, who had some spectacular moments in opposition to Vinicius Jr.
These guys simply don’t appear to really feel the strain on them. They press excessive, they win balls again shortly after shedding it and so they loved enjoying in opposition to — and beating — Actual Madrid.
Let’s see if they will take these qualities into the common season.
Laia Cervello Herrero
(High picture: Charly Triballeau/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)