Lewandowski Leads a Characterful Comeback to Reclaim Second Place

The strategy, long a mystery at Barça, proved pivotal in a hard-fought comeback against Valencia, securing second place and setting up a decisive showdown at Montilivi next Saturday. Two precision corner kicks by Gündogan, two headers into the net by the ‘killer’ Lewandowski, who topped it off with a stunning free-kick. Simple yet complex. It was a triumph of pride, persistence… and capitalizing on one of football’s great resources.

Xavi held nothing back, fielding his strongest lineup with Fermín as the only change from the classic encounter. A wise choice, as the El Campillo native made his mark. Adverse elements foreshadowed a challenging, open match. Neither the downpour nor the cold nor the wind deterred the brave 30,167 who ascended Montjuïc. They had a good time.

Desperate defensive fragility The pitch drainage responded spectacularly, and Barça quickly took control. They tried to exploit the wings, particularly Lamine’s, but the first warning came from a pragmatic Valencia. Hugo Duro attempted to surprise Ter Stegen with a back-heel.

The Blaugranas enjoyed possession rates exceeding 80 percent but struggled to convert chances, while Valencia’s counterattacks persisted. Peter Federico outpaced Cubarsí and wasted his chance. Another close call.

Uncertainty and scares… Fermín’s dazzling appearance seemed to offer little respite. A profoundly undervalued player, his goal from Raphinha’s exquisite assist showcased his timing and talent. A stunning strike.

But the joy was short-lived. Barcelona fans aren’t accustomed to seeing Ter Stegen’s blunders, like the one that led to the equalizer. Another long clearance, Koundé broke the offside trap, and Hugo Duro capitalized on Ter Stegen’s failed attempt at a chip.

Back to square one, but Xavi’s men faced another setback. This Barça team seemed prone to repeating mistakes. Mamardashvili’s long kick caught Araujo off-guard, compounding the situation. Shades of the PSG debacle emerged. Araujo’s indisputable penalty foul on Peter Federico compounded their woes.

Valencia down to ten, Lewy steps up Barça’s resilience shone through. The lengthy stoppage time saw two clear chances, from Cancelo and Araujo, and a red card for Mamardashvili, whose blatant handball just outside the box was only spotted by VAR with suspense. Lamine tested the gloves of the newly introduced Jaume Doménech from the ensuing free-kick.

Iñigo Martínez and Sergi Roberto came on for Cubarsí and Christensen. Beyond the substitutions, the recipe for success was to score early, and Barça did just that, from a corner kick no less—their first of the night. Lewandowski’s header, with Fermín in an offside position but judged not to have influenced the play.

Joao Félix was brought on to add fuel to the fire (he didn’t) and Pedri… to prevent a certain goal. He slipped, lost the ball to Diego López, chased him down, and snatched the ball back inside the box. The crowd chanted his name.

The final fifteen minutes were all-out attack for Barça. Gündogan, Joao Félix, Koundé… chances kept coming. Valencia’s numerical disadvantage took its toll. It was only a matter of time before Gündogan and Lewandowski linked up again. A powerful header from the Pole, followed by an exquisite free-kick to seal the victory. A hat-trick to exorcise the demons.