"It's been that way previously against Los Blancos of course, but in the first 45 particularly, the Catalans were formidable in terms of the way in which they kept the ball. Whether at full tilt or slowing the game down to walking pace, all of the quality came from those in blaugrana. The likes of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong dictated the ebb and flow of the game, with team-mates adept at keeping Real's players at arm's length."
"Time and time and time again, Raphinha has stepped up to the plate and produced a performance of real quality. He deserved the slice of luck that ultimately brought him the winner, because it wasn't just his goals that authored another victory, there were plenty of occasions when he'd work back and help his full-back. Hard work has typified his time under Hansi Flick,"
Barcelona controlled possession for long periods, especially in the first half, dictating tempo through Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. Teammates maintained distance from Real Madrid players, frustrating individuals like Jude Bellingham and Alvaro Carreras who rarely touched the ball before half-time. Real Madrid took an early lead but struggled to impose themselves thereafter. Raphinha consistently produced high-quality performances, worked back to support his full-back, and benefited from a slice of luck that produced the match-winner. Hard work under Hansi Flick has been a defining feature of Raphinha's contributions and Barcelona's possession-based approach.
Read at Barca Blaugranes
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