Celta punish
BELOW PAR
BARCELONA: Barcelona’s biggest fear when Lionel Messi suffered a groin strain last month was how the team would cope in attack without the talismanic forward.
But while scoring goals has not been a problem for the La Liga champions who have found the net 11 times in the three games Messi has missed, defending certainly has been an issue.
Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s poor display at Celta Vigo was largely responsible for Barca’s 4-3 loss. “If I hadn’t made the mistake, we could have won this game,” Ter Stegen told reporters. “I’m sorry for the team, who fought really hard.”
With his side trailing, 3-2, Ter Stegen received a back pass from Jordi Alba and waited before attempting to kick the ball back to his teammate. Pablo Hernandez of Celta was just two metres away, though, and raised his right leg to block the pass, the ball deflecting into the goal to gift Celta a 4-2 lead.
“For me, it was the pass which seemed the right one,” Ter Stegen said. “It shouldn’t happen. It’s worse for the team; I think we lost because of it.
“It’s an error. I can’t think all the time about what’s happened. I have to continue, keep my head up. We continue on the same path, and so do I.”
As the Barca players go into the international break, though, they will have to digest a poor defensive effort overall.
Celta scored their opener after they intercepted an errant Ter Stegen pass that had been intended for Sergio Busquets and Pino Sisto finished from close range. Jeremy Mathieu’s own goal then gave Celta a 3-1 lead.
Barcelona are fourth in the standings, two points adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid, who are level on points with Real but ahead on goal difference.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique made no excuses. “I cannot be satisfied, we’ve wasted the chance to go top before the international break,” Enrique said. “We weren’t at the right level apart from in the first 15 minutes. We kept on losing battles and they anticipated our mistakes.” On Sunday, For Suarez,
FOURTH GOAL
Jordi Alba played a simple backpass to the German goalkeeper, who sent the ball right into the path of the charging Pablo Hernandez. The ball deflected off the Celta man before bouncing off the post and into goal to make it 4-2. the starting line-up. He opted to start without Andres Iniesta (in pic) and Ivan Rakitic, especially when Barca’s creativity was already depleted by Messi’s absence. His decision to play Jeremy Mathieu instead of Javier Mascherano besides Gerard Pique also cost them dear. Catalans as he had no impact in attack. It was his mistake which led to a quick breakaway that resulted in Iago Aspas’s goal. Busquets was pedestrian and failed to control the midfield which gave Celta a free run in the middle.
the mistake, we could have won this game. I’m sorry for the team, who fought really hard. I can’t think all the time about what’s happened. I have to continue, keep my head up. We continue on the same path, and so do I.” MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN, Barcelona goalkeeper
we've wasted the chance to go top before the international break. We weren't at the right level apart from in the first 15 minutes. We kept on losing battles and they anticipated our mistakes.”
LUIS ENRIQUE, Barcelona manager
Barcelona 3 Sisto 22 Pique 58, 87 Aspas 31 Neymar 63-pen Mathieu 33-og
Hernandez 77 Sevilla Barcelona Villarreal 7 7 7 7 7 Athletic Bilbao 1 Aduriz 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 0 12 15 3 0 9 2 1 3 1 2 12 13 4 0 5 15 14 13