"Raphinha and Pedri are back, and they made all the difference as the Blaugrana stormed back from being one goal down after an all too familiar ball was slipped behind their high defensive line. Pedri made a silky pass to the Brazilian captain to get the equalizer. From there, Raphinha willed his team forward keeping the energy high on the field and in the stands until finally Dani Olmo buried the goal to make it 2-1."
"But a win is a win, and this one didn't come easy. Some unlikely faces had to close out the game. For 20 minutes they did nothing but defend, and they learned that sometimes that's how it's going to be. You suffer for the result, because you know how important the moment is. I'm not sure if Barcelona can be a top team without Pedri and Raphinha on the field. They are going to have to address that growing dependency at some point."
Barcelona remains a makeshift side struggling to find consistency and a clear identity. Raphinha and Pedri returned and sparked a comeback, with Pedri's silky pass and Raphinha's energy setting up Dani Olmo's winning goal. The team still fails to click, showing moments of isolation and defensive lapses such as a slipped ball behind the high line and misplaced passes. The win required sustained defending for 20 minutes and reliance on unlikely contributors. Dependence on Pedri and Raphinha is growing and must be addressed. Several unsung players have stepped up, while injuries and fatigue affect rotations.
Read at Barca Blaugranes
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