Dembele’s hat-trick of assists inspires Barca to a 4-0 victory over Bilbao. Xavi Hernandez makes an imposing touchline presence. Barcelona shake things up. And Lazio beat Atalanta.
Xavi Hernandez dazzles on touchline
Xavi Hernandez is Barcelona’s beating heart and dazzles on the touchline in a 1-0 Euro round-up victory over Italy. The 5-foot-7-inch winger has an uncanny knack for passing, and has influenced the style of play for his national side. Though he doesn’t score goals or make tackles, Xavi’s precise passes and wit make him an important member of the Spanish squad.
The Spanish champions have won the Euro tournament for a second year running, a feat which has been made possible thanks in part to Xavi Hernandez’s flair and style. While Xavi has not yet returned home, he has continued to protect his younger brothers and show the world that he is the ultimate champion. In doing so, he has helped his country to become the first nation to win a World Cup, European Championship and another European Championship in succession.
Dembele leads Barca to victory
Ousmane Dembele was outstanding in Barca 4-0 victory over Athletic Club. The midfielder assisted three goals and scored one himself. Other scorers included Robert Lewandowski and Sergi Roberto. The win is also good news for Ernesto Valverde, who returned to the club after a two-year absence. However, the return has not been a happy one. Since coming back to Barcelona, Valverde has only managed to draw two games and have a dismal record in his first four matches.
The Frenchman has been a key player under Xavi and has also been included in the Spanish national team for the World Cup. The injury to Dembele was not serious, and he is expected to be fit for the match tomorrow. However, Xavi has said that the striker’s decision-making has to improve.
Xavi Hernandez shakes things up
Xavi Hernandez has shaken things up in the Barcelona midfield after the team was beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid on Saturday. The Spaniard has shifted his team’s formation from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1. The move allowed Dembele to flourish, with the forward scoring three times in the opening 10 minutes.
The former Barcelona player is currently managing Al Sadd in Qatar. His style of play is tiki-taka-inspired, with Al Sadd attacking with width and ferocity. This has led to the team keeping a high percentage of possession. And the club have played very little defending, which makes the team very difficult to break down. Xavi’s style has attracted the attention of both Barcelona and the fans in Qatar koora online.
Lazio beat Atalanta
After conceding the first goal, Lazio pressed for the winner in the final quarter of an hour. The visitors enjoyed a good spell of possession but failed to create many chances. Before halftime, Atalanta pulled one back through Robin Gosens’ header. Atalanta had two changes but failed to create many opportunities to get back into the game. Ruslan Malinovsky equalised in the 87th minute.
The defeat leaves Atalanta in fourth place, two points behind Lazio and Napoli. Both sides now have four points from a possible five. Lazio play Salernitana on Sunday and Atalanta visit Empoli on Sunday Barca.
Athletic Bilbao host Villarreal in LaLiga
Ousmane Dembele continues to impress for Barcelona. The midfielder played a superb first half, creating two chances for the team to score and assisting Ferran Torres’ strike in the 73rd minute. The victory over Bilbao keeps Barcelona three points behind Real Madrid and five ahead of Atletico Madrid. The Catalans have a UEFA Champions League tie against Bayern Munich on Wednesday to look forward to.
Dembele was Barcelona’s standout player on Sunday night, contributing to three of the four goals. He made four crucial passes, delivered four accurate long balls, and created two big chances.
Barcelona vs Athletic
The first match of the round-up is between Barcelona and Athletic Club, who are currently sixth in the table with 18 points from 11 matches. The game is set for a 5pm kick-off at Camp Nou. The hosts were 4-0 up at halftime, but Athletic are now looking to turn the tables. However, Marc-André ter Stegen, the Spaniard who has taken more touches than any other goalkeeper in the league, was a spectator in the first half and was forced into making an error when the match ended.
Barcelona are in desperate need of a win after losing to Real Madrid 3-1 on the weekend. They need to win this game in order to progress further in the Champions League. Without it, they could be relegated to Europa League football in February. In the meantime, Athletic Bilbao are in need of a win as they have been average in their last three matches. They have drawn with Sevilla at home and lost to Atletico Madrid away from home. However, they did earn a point in their last match, 2-2, against Getafe kora online tv.