Cornella-El Prat succumbs to the Empire Blaugrana

An ambush if discovered and properly countered, with interest paid and the evil sought

Vegetius, Roman writer, fourth century

Classic a few weeks ago was presented as the more equal in recent years and we all know how it ended . This week, we prefaced the Barcelona derby as the most matched in a long time, a definition far removed from reality. The extraordinary thing about the match between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona last night was that the parakeets greeted their neighbors remain in positions of Champions, so it was a summit meeting, but said that was matched as Rattan is the League, was more a matter of desire than reality.

Claiming that a team has been good when it lost 1-5 at home may seem so unreal to see who it will tempt some derision. But the truth is that the squad gave Mauricio Pochettino face at all times and follow the script that led him to become the surprise team of the league start, but this boat in a state of grace is a roller that rolls over you with so naturally that has to defeat a strange hint of sweetness. Marquez recovered to shore up the midfield, Espanyol unbeaten planted in field with a clear plan: advancing lines, narrow spaces, block play and look inside the Barça recoveries in advanced positions.

However, at the height of front, the visiting leader changed his usual script and did honor to the words of Vegetius who heads the post. Pep Guardiola ordered that avoids horizontal game and asked his men to be more vertical than ever -so much so that we saw over Valdés play much more than usual. With Pedro and Villa looking over and over again back in the early perica behind with a dagger and putting Alves coming to area rival, and attracting all the attention Messi, Xavi and Iniesta could find space despite being surrounded by five Espanyol midfielder. After half an hour the club was a dominating 0-2 thanks to a power against organized by Messi and defined by Peter and a collective move initialed Xavi.

The first time the possessions ended with about 50%, something unusual with the Blaugrana in the field, a statistic that proves that they never broke Espanyol and Barca Rondita lowered the level for a more direct football . Fifteen minutes after the restart, Peter turned to be the smartest in class and caught a rebound led by a very short jugadón Messi and a good response from Kameni. Three minutes later, an error in the assembly area was given the opportunity to launch a career Osvaldo dizzying and define excellence across the ball to Valdés.

But while Argentina pulled one back, it was too late: the club had guessed the ambush, attacked the enemy's rear and tipped it in the race in his favor. The goalkeeper of the sleeves tacky I can not do anything about that shot of Osvlado, and wanted a new one that many, if not for an earlier intervention to volley back alley and Osvaldo hand, Espanyol could have been closer Barca get their hands on, or at least to demand more.

Although, truth be told, it seems today that the club serves only its own demands, and today, is' Mode: Make History. " In the first season of Guardiola, these same heights of championship, I said that it seemed impossible to keep that tension and that hunger throughout the course, ended up winning it all ... But now they are playing better than ever: more speed , with more touches of early and more mobile in the forefront. If you join this qupoor performance has improved defensive first months, the result is yes, no doubt, this boat is better than ever.

Because, among other things, they now have to Villa which I will discuss at length soon, "a guy who after spending one hour to the team, you are left wanting to find two goals after two separate uncheck the back of the opposing defense. Messi, as the day of mannitol to Madrid, did not score, but in the last two goals, that of Villa, who initialed the win to the neighbors and rivals, he was smiling even when it is he who marks. Yesterday missed an easy goal (a full-fledged abreu) and is so good, so good, as many as one might think he decided it was not his day of face-to-door and took the challenge their peers to enable them to make the goals. One does not know what to think with such a crack ...

PS: Do not be taken for the post without mentioning clinched a thrilling ovation perica parish dedicated to Andres Iniesta, in appreciation of the gesture he had with Daniel Jarque to score the goal that gave us the World Cup. Sometimes football is these things that reconcile one with the sporting spirit that so often forget.

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