barcelona He threw a three-goal half-time lead on the day Xavi Hernandez was appointed coach. Celta Vigo He made a spectacular comeback in La Liga on Saturday scoring a goal in the 96th minute. Another disappointing result for Barca was worsened by another injury for Anu Fati, who put his team at the front and then walked away with a hamstring problem. Goals by Sergio Busquets and Memphis Depay put Barcelona 3–0 at Balados after 34 minutes, but Celta bounced back, with Iago Aspas scoring twice on either side of a Nolito header to seal a 3–3 draw. .
“We forgot how to play the second half,” said Barcelona midfielder Frankie de Jong. “We lacked personality.”
Aspar’s equalizer, with a brilliant shot from the edge of the field, came on with 95 minutes and 34 seconds on the clock and knocked the Barcelona players to the floor.
With the team’s new coach watching from Barcelona, where he landed about three hours before kick-off, it is now Xavi’s job to pick him up.
The 41-year-old had taken off from Doha after confirming a sensational return to the club early on Saturday morning.
Barcelona’s chaotic defense and inability to manage the game when they looked to be in charge would have come as little surprise to Xavi, but Fati’s hamstring injury would be a concern, especially in a Champions League crunch against Benfica. Along with the game, which will take place on November 23. international break.
Eric Garcia was also forced out with a calf strain, while Nico González felt uneasy when he was replaced before the hour.
“It’s not an excuse, but injuries mean we have to change the whole strategy of the game and the players,” said Sergi Barjuan after his last match in interim charge.
“If you look at the line-up, you are playing the role of kids. We were counting on the kids. All along, we are strong.”
Fati’s prolonged absence will be a blow to Barca and also to Spain, who will be without the 19-year-old for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Sweden next week.
It all started very well for Fati and Barca, who took the lead without a goal in the fifth minute, after Fati went inside from the left and squared off Hugo Mallo’s right-behind Celta.
To move to the left towards the Fati-shaped line and then back to his right, deflecting a shot into the far corner.
Three minutes later it was two o’clock. Nico stirred to the left and pulled out Busquets, who went to the edge of the penalty area and hit a shot inside the post.
When Depay headed for Jordi Alba’s cross at the passing post, Barcelona looked home and dry, but then fell to the ground and García was replaced at half-time by Ronald Araujo.
Celta was replaced after the break, with Thiago Gallardo finding the net through the Espas ball, only to be ruled offside, before Espas pulled up a moment later.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen should have caught Franco Cervi’s cross and cleared Araujo after he was dropped. Instead he drove the ball straight to the outside, which ended.
Again, a goal was dismissed by Celta as Nolito was supposed to control with his hand before cushioning a shot in the corner, but again, Celta was adamant.
When the Busquets were evicted, Cervi crossed over and Nolito went inside.
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Celta had an injury-time of 16 minutes and then five minutes to find an equalizer, but it was sixth when Aspas finally struck.
Javier Gallen picked it up from the left but Espas still had a lot to do, wrapping his left foot around the ball, behind Ter Stegen’s arm and inward.
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