Barcelona beat Actual Madrid in New York thanks to 2 targets from their in-form ahead Pau Victor after a thunderstorm had triggered an hour delay early within the first half.
Hansi Flick’s aspect will take confidence from the win, having additionally overwhelmed Manchester Metropolis on penalties final week, whereas Madrid have misplaced each their opening video games in america (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 high quality aim
A younger Barcelona group imposed themselves towards Madrid, but it surely 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 likely one of 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 quite a lot of area on the far put up and I went for it,” Paz stated after the match.
Paz scores towards Barcelona (Charly Triballeau/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
After per week of lighting up Actual Madrid’s open coaching periods, this aim was a reward for his exhausting work.
Paz has proven that he can management the group’s tempo, has nice method 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 an important half within the Champions League victory towards 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 employees imagine he could make the step as much as the primary group 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 group?
After three targets and two man-of-the-match shows towards Manchester Metropolis and Actual Madrid, the quick reply appears to be: sure.
Victor was Barcelona B’s high scorer final season with 18 targets, 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 towards 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. Nevertheless, not like Lewandowski, who has scored greater than 600 targets in his profession, Victor has the whole lot to show.
Victor performs each sport as if his life is dependent upon getting a constructive outcome for his group, and he’s having a big effect. He scored Barcelona’s first aim simply earlier than half-time with a header and in the beginning of the second half, added a second, turning the ball in from shut vary after a cross from the suitable.
Victor, who was born roughly 15 kilometres from Camp Nou, pressured 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 robust save from Courtois.
“We’ll see what occurs with Pau Victor. Two video games, three targets, not dangerous. The door to the primary group is at all times open,” Flick stated in his press convention after the sport.
Laia Cervello Herrero
Vinicius Junior is Madrid’s chief — as ordinary
Vinicius Jr didn’t play within the first match of the tour towards 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 group at Copa America this summer time, got here on shortly after half-time towards Barcelona and was relentless in attacking the right-back Alex Valle, after which doing the identical to Valle’s alternative Hector Fort.
If Madrid had acquired an equaliser, it might 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 affect 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 stress.
In opposition to Manchester Metropolis, there have been greater than 63,000 folks 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 had been filled with greater than 82,000 followers, however the clear Madrid majority made it really feel like an away sport for Barcelona.
Barcelona rejoice Pau Victor’s aim (Charly Triballeau/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Confronted with these circumstances, they didn’t shrink or disguise 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 number 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 towards Madrid.
Then there was Sergi Dominguez, the 19-year-old centre-back, who had some spectacular moments towards Vinicius Jr.
These guys simply don’t appear to really feel the stress on them. They press excessive, they win balls again shortly after shedding it and so they loved enjoying towards — and beating — Actual Madrid.
Let’s see if they’ll take these qualities into the common season.
Laia Cervello Herrero
(Prime picture: Charly Triballeau/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)