Three talking points from Unionistas 1-3 Barcelona | Copa del Rey

Estadio Municipal Reina Sofia hosted a special game on Thursday night. Barcelona travelled to Salamanca to take on Unionistas in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, and the game was not easy by any measure.

Xavi’s men were made to dig deep for their win on the night as they fought an uphill battle to pioneer a comeback. Ferran Torres equalised late in the first half to neutralise Alvaro Gomez’s golazo before strikes from Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde capped off a comfortable 3-1 win for Barcelona.

The win takes the team to the last eight in the competition where they are joined by the likes of Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Girona, Athletic Club, Mallorca, and Celta Vigo. In any case, the coming rounds will present gruelling tests.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points from Unionistas de Salamanca 1-3 Barcelona.

Job done, team through

When Unionistas opened the scoring against Barcelona on Thursday, it appeared to be the beginning of many ends at the Catalan capital. Facing a third-division side and conceding first was embarrassing in itself, let alone giving them the confidence to push high for a second.

As has been the case on several occasions before, however, individual brilliance pulled Barcelona out of the muddy waters. None of their goals were convincing, at no point in the match did they appear to be dominating in the manner they should have.

Yet, the team pulled through to the quarterfinals and that is all that matters at the end of the day. Barcelona line to fight another day, albeit against a significantly stronger opposition in the next round.

Considering the ranking of the opposition the Blaugranas were faced with, the team were shaky in defence and struggled to control the midfield. The wingers made an impact out wide but the experiment with Marc Guiu as the starting No. 9 did not reap the expected rewards.

All in all, Xavi would have hoped for a more convincing win. At this point, however, he will take any win in any manner it comes so as to prolong his stay and inculcate the changes he aims to. Barcelona, still, are far from their best.

Redemption for two stars?

Kounde had a good game. (Photo by CESAR MANSO/AFP via Getty Images)

Barcelona’s performance against Unionistas was incoherent for the greater part. The team did not function as a collective unit, with individual brilliance once again in the limelight.

Two players who have been in a recent rut, however, stood out for the Catalans and showed improved performances. Jules Kounde in defence and Oriol Romeu in midfield showed tangible improvement from their recent form, although it is a matter of debate as to how much one can read into a clash against a third-division side.

The French defender showed an enhanced defensive level on the night, making four clearances, winning two duels, and blocking one shot against Unionistas. Further, he recorded a staggering 128 touches and completed 93% of his passes on the night.

Kounde scored Barcelona’s second goal on the night with a brilliant strike from outside the box, giving his side the lead and a taste of qualification. He also assisted Alejandro Balde’s goal four minutes later to cap off a strong showing.

Romeu, meanwhile, regained some of his lost confidence in midfield. He guarded Barcelona’s fortress with an imposing presence, winning duels and regaining possession with relative ease.

In 90 minutes, Romeu won 100% of his aerial duels, four ground duels, one tackle and blocked one shot. He also completed 100% of his dribbles attempted on the night.

Substitutes’ impact

It is almost shameful that Barcelona spent close to 15 minutes chasing a deficit against Unionistas. In fact, their eventual equaliser through Ferran Torres only arrived because the hosts over-stretched in attack and left a gaping hole in defence.

The Catalans only truly got going in the second half, especially after Xavi made three critical substitutions. He brought on Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, and Ilkay Gundogan at the hour mark, and their introduction changed the course of the game.

The Polish star did not have a whole lot of impact on the proceedings, but the two midfield changes breathed life into Barcelona’s attacking forays. With the first-choice trio of Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Gundogan back in charge, the possession became tangibly cleaner with a more efficient circulation of the ball.

It is thus not surprising that two of the team’s three goals came after the substitutions. The story not only goes to show the quality of the players brought on but also raises a fundamental question – Can Barcelona not overcome a third-tier side without the likes of Pedri and Gundogan?