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Looking to extend their resurgent run under Xavi, Barcelona traveled to Eintracht Frankfurt for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night (7 April).
The Blaugrana failed to play with the swagger we have come to associate with them over the last few months, but successfully evaded defeat. Winter signing Ferran Torres popped up with a second-half equalizer to hold the hosts to a 1-1 draw at Deutsche Bank Park.
The visitors started the game on the front foot and had a go at Frankfurt’s goal within three minutes of play. Torres went for an ambitious long-range effort, which was dealt with superbly by home team's keeper Kevin Trapp. Three minutes later, the German outfit conjured an attack of their own, but Djibril Sow’s shot from the center of the Barca box was wayward.
In the 37th minute, the referee awarded Frankfurt a penalty following Sergio Busquets’ challenge on Rafael Santos Borre. But after the VAR asked the referee to watch the replays of the incident, he reversed his decision. He adjudged the Barcelona skipper’s tackle to be fair.
Three minutes into the second half, Frankfurt finally got the goal they were looking for, and it was a strike worth waiting for. From outside the box, 20-year-old Ansgar Knauff positioned himself and fired a half-volley at Barca’s goal. Even a fully stretched Marc-Andre ter Stegen could not manage to keep the Borussia Dortmund loanee's effort out.
The visitors grew desperate for an equalizer but were getting thwarted by Frankfurt’s rock-solid backline. To switch things up, Xavi brought on Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembele in the 62nd minute in place of Gavi and Adama Traore, respectively. The substitutions worked like a charm for the Catalans. Four minutes later, Dembele and De Jong played a crucial role in setting up Torres’ equalizer.
In the 78th minute, Frankfurt centre-back Tuta received a second yellow for a very late challenge on Pedri. With 10 men, Oliver Glasner’s team could not push for a winner but did well to keep Barcelona from getting their noses ahead. With the tie evenly poised at 1-1, Camp Nou is set to witness an epic second leg next Thursday (14 April).
Here are three Barca players who misfired and two who ensured the Blaugrana did not return emptyhanded from their trip to Germany:
Underperformed: Adama Traore
With all the flash and no substance, Adama Traore produced a toothless performance against the ninth-placed Bundesliga team on Thursday night.
He used his pace well and completed all his dribbles (8), but lost his way in the final third of the pitch.
His crosses were wayward, with only one of his four deliveries reaching their target. The burly winger, who joined Barca on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers in January, did not play a single key pass or register a shot against the German outfit.
The Spaniard also lost possession 10 times before being rightfully subbed out for Ousmane Dembele in the 62nd minute.
Performed: Frenkie de Jong
Xavi opted for a midfield three of Pedri, Busquets, and Gavi on Thursday night, leaving Frenkie de Jong on the bench.
The Dutchman was finally called into action in the 62nd minute, replacing Gavi, and immediately gave Barcelona’s struggling midfield a leg to stand on.
With him slotting into the right side of the midfield, Pedri moved to the left, which is where he is most effective. De Jong, of course, also set up Torres’ all-important equalizer.
In the 66th minute, De Jong received a pass from fellow substitute Dembele and squared it for Torres, who made no mistake slotting it home.
The assist aside, De Jong made one key pass, won all four of his duels, and made two recoveries.
Underperformed: Jordi Alba
Left-back Jordi Alba has made a career out of excellent overlaps and flamboyant attacking play. But on Thursday night, the Spaniard's aforementioned traits were nowhere to be seen.
His passing was poor, he wasted quite a few counter-attacking opportunities, and ceded possession rather frequently.
Over the course of the match, the veteran Barcelona full-back played 68 passes with 76.4 percent accuracy and misplaced seven long balls as well as his inly two attempted crosses.
He also lost possession a whopping 29 times and neither played a key pass nor attempted a shot.
Performed: Ferran Torres
Ferran Torres was easily the liveliest Barca attacker on the pitch on Thursday night. He had a go at goal in the third minute itself and was only denied by a heroic Kevin Trapp save.
The Spaniard continued to pop up in threatening areas, doing well to evade a sea of Frankfurt legs that stood in his way.
Finally, in the 66th minute, Torres got the reward his perseverance deserved. Latching on to De Jong’s offload, the former Manchester City man bundled the ball into the bottom corner from close range.
Besides the goal, the young forward completed three dribbles, played a key pass, and won five ground duels.
Underperformed: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Since moving to Barcelona on a free transfer from Arsenal in January, Aubameyang has produced one memorable performance after another.
Last night’s showing was memorable as well, but for all the wrong reasons. The Gabon international did not threaten Trapp’s goal, misplaced most of his passes, lost possession cheaply, and was easily outmuscled.
In the match, Aubameyang only had one shot (off-target), made 10 passes with just 47.6 percent accuracy and created zero goalscoring opportunities.
He also lost six of his eight ground duels, and lost possession a whopping 17 times.
A night to forget for the former Arsenal star.
Also Read: Ranking Real Madrid's 5 best players against Chelsea | UEFA Champions League quarter-final 1st leg
