An Athletic with its head in the Cup loses to Barcelona (4-0)

The Barcelona continues on the ascending line and remains in Champions League positions by scoring this Sunday at the Camp Nou against Athletic Club (4-0)thanks to goals from Aubameyang, Dembélé, Luuk de Jong and Memphis, who played the final minutes after returning from injury.

Marcelino introduced seven novelties in the eleven that last day thrashed Real Sociedad in the Basque derby, and left important players such as the Williams brothers, Íñigo Martínez or Muniain on the bench, thinking about next Wednesday’s duel at Mestalla, where the pass to the cup final is played.

Too many concessions for this Barça, that from the hand of Xavi seems to be an increasingly recognizable team, applied in high pressure, increasingly dynamic and precise in the game of possession and with an offensive trident that seems already consolidated as the one formed by Adama, Ferran Torres and Aubameyang .

The 1-0 compensated for the merits of the Barça team in the siege, although with few chances, to Unai Simón’s goal, which only had to be fully used in a shot from a difficult angle by Ferran Torres.

Athletic, for its part, endured each well-ordered local envite behind, but with serious difficulties to go against. Even so, Zarraga, with a forced shot that Ter Stegen saved without problems, and Vesga, with another shot deflected after a poor clearance by Piqué, had their options on the visiting side.

Marcelino moved the bench at the break giving entry to Íñigo Martínez for Yeray and Sancet for Raúl García. And Barça, perhaps because of the effort made three days before in Naples, had a hard time finding the rhythm after the restart.

the input of Dembele and Nico Williams The clash was once again animated, especially that of Barça’s French winger, whistled on the first ball he touched and applauded on the second, when he outlined himself on the right profile to change the ball to his leg before sending a missile with his left foot that surprised to Unai(2-0).

El Mosquito celebrated his bite by going to the bench to celebrate with the whole team, and then he did it with Xavi, who has not tired of defending his professionalism despite refusing to renew with the club.

Dembélé rounded off his performance giving away two goals from the left down the stretch. The first, to Luuk de Jong (3-0), after Pedri’s umpteenth mischief, and the second, to a recently entered Memphis (4-0).

Athletic, on the other hand, could only score in the second half in a half-turn shot from the edge of Nico Williams that was saved by Ter Stegen.

DATA SHEET

Lineups:

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Dani Alves, Araujo, Pique, Dest; Sergio Busquets (86′ Nico), Pedri, Gavi (67′ Dembelé); Adama (81′ Depay), Ferrán (67′ Frenkie de Jong) and Aubameyang (86′ Luuk de Jong).

Athletic Club: Unai Simon; Lekue, Vivian, Yeray (46′ Iñigo Martínez), Balenziaga; Zarraga (67′ Nico Williams), Winner, Vesga, Serrano; Raúl García (46′ Sancet) and Villalibre (77′ Iñaki Williams).

Referee: Cuadra Fernandez

Stadium: Camp Nou

Goals:

1-0, Aubameyang (37′).

2-0, Dembele (73′)

3-0, Luuk de Jong (90′)

4-0, Depay (94′)

The images of the party

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang celebrating the goal

Launch of Vesga

Serrano and Adama

The coaches Marcelino and Xavi

Des and Villalibre