2023-10-25 18:55:11
Barcelona (AFP) – FC Barcelona has a new crack: Fermin Lopez, 20, was decisive twice on Wednesday for his first start in the Champions League once morest Shakhtar Donetsk (2-1), allowing the Blaugrana to continue their flawless in C1.
Published on: 10/25/2023 – 8:55 p.m.
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This third victory in as many matches brings Barça, first in Group H with 9 points, closer to qualifying for the round of 16, a stage they have not reached for two years.
Three days before the Clasico once morest Real Madrid, Saturday (4:15 p.m.), Xavi Hernandez, still deprived of several executives including Robert Lewandowski, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, had chosen to play once morest a Ukrainian team well within his reach.
Even more so since the start of the Russian invasion, in February 2022, which pushed many foreign players with high potential to flee Donetsk.
Faced with this slaughter of injuries, the Catalans can fortunately count on their young talents trained at Masia, Lamine Yamal, 16, and Fermin Lopez, 20, started for the first time in C1.
The Spanish midfielder, who impressed in preseason in the United States with a goal and an assist once morest Real (3-0), once once more demonstrated a disconcerting maturity with the ball.
The show Fermin Lopez
It was he who created the first opportunity of the match, first coming up once morest the Ukrainian goalkeeper Riznyk (8th), author of a second unacademic save between his legs in front of Cancelo (26th).
Barça striker Ferran Torres (d) in front of Shakhtar midfielder Taras Stepanenko, October 25, 2023 in Barcelona © LLUIS GENE / AFP
Found by Gündogan in the area, Fermin Lopez, on the edge of offside, then found the left post but Ferran Torres followed well to score forcefully (28th, 1-0).
The fifth goal in eight C1 matches with Barcelona for the ex-Manchester City winger, who said he was “ready to take responsibility” before the match, considering himself “like an old man” among all these young talents .
He must have taken a few wrinkles, a few minutes later, while witnessing the classy sequence of Fermin Lopez, who fired a powerful shot from the right (36th, 2-0) to score a first goal for his first start in Champions League.
Returning from the locker room, the Blaugrana slowed down and were surprised by the Ukrainians, Sudakov overtaking Romeu to reduce the score on the hour mark (62nd, 2-1).
Fermin Lopez continued his festival, hitting the post once more (69th) before scoring a second goal with a header, refused for offside (70th).
Joao Félix, more discreet than usual, had asked Riznyk with a header (49th), before leaving his team visibly injured in the right leg, which would be another hard blow for Xavi.
The Portuguese striker was replaced by Marc Guiu, 17, another jewel of the Masia who became the hero of last weekend by offering victory to Barça once morest Bilbao (1-0) 33 seconds following coming into play.
Shakhtar midfielder Georgiy Sudakov reduces the score once morest Barça, October 25, 2023 in Barcelona © LLUIS GENE / AFP
And he almost repeated this feat from close range, but his attempt was heroically blocked by a Donetsk defender (76th).
The Barcelonans trembled until the end once morest the Ukrainian attacks, but were able to maintain their advantage, as once morest Porto (1-0) on the second day.
© 2023 AFP
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