Barcelona returned to winning ways in style after their midweek Champions League defeat to Monaco — but their 5-1 rout of Villarreal was marred by a worrying injury to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The German still faces medical tests that will determine how much time he misses, but the initial signs are not good for Barca’s club captain. Coach Hansi Flick called it a “huge injury”.
Flick rotated his starting lineup after the 2-1 loss to Monaco. Eric Garcia stayed in holding midfield — despite his red card when playing in that position against Monaco — and was joined by Pablo Torre and Pedri. In defence, youngsters Gerard Martin and Sergi Dominguez started at left-back and centre-back, with Jules Kounde staying at right-back.
Villarreal had plenty of chances and the final scoreline seemed harsh on Marcelino’s adventurous side, who had pulled the game back to 2-1 through Ayoze Perez and had an equaliser from former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe ruled out for offside.
Robert Lewandowski got a brace — which could have been a hat-trick were it not for a missed penalty — Torre scored the third and Raphinha netted twice, the second after a fine pass from Lamine Yamal.
It means Barca are top of La Liga with 18 points, four ahead of Real Madrid. But that all paled in comparison to Ter Stegen’s agony. These are the main talking points from the Estadio de la Ceramica.
How big a miss could Ter Stegen be?
Ter Stegen was always going to be in the spotlight for this game after being one of the players singled out for defeat in Monaco. The keeper’s bad pass led to Garcia’s sending off in the 10th minute and he arguably could have done more for both of the Principality side’s goals.
Afterwards, the captain told broadcaster Movistar that he and Garcia “had not understood each other”. The more extreme critics used that error to debate whether Ter Stegen was still up to the task of being Barca’s No 1 after 10 years at the club. But he showed his worth in the first half of this game, making a few vital saves — including one with an outstretched hand in the 12th minute and another fine one-on-one stop from Pepe in the 43rd minute.
Ter Stegen was putting in a great performance — which is what made it all the more agonising when he fell to the ground screaming in pain after claiming a corner and landing awkwardly on his right leg in the 44th minute.
Ter Stegen put in a fine performance before his injury (Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer immediately blew his whistle while Ter Stegen’s team-mates rushed over and called for a change. The keeper left the pitch on a stretcher, covering his face with his hands and visibly emotional.
Ter Stegen was taken to a nearby hospital to undergo initial examinations and was set to undergo further checks by the club’s doctors in Barcelona.
“We have to wait and see,” Flick told a press conference afterwards. “It will be a serious injury — he felt it, you could see it.”
Ter Stegen was replaced by Inaki Pena, the former Barcelona Atletic (previously Barca B) keeper. The 25-year-old stepped in for the German last season when he underwent surgery after a back injury, keeping him out for two months. He made 10 appearances in La Liga and 17 across all competitions.
Pena did well when called upon in Ter Stegen’s absence. But there is no hiding how much Barca will miss their influential captain.
Flick’s midfield jigsaw puzzle and Torre’s revival
Midfield was where Flick made some of his boldest calls against Villarreal. The trio of Garcia, Torre and Pedri were not used to each other, but worked seamlessly together.
Torre seized his opportunity on his first start this season following his loan at Girona last term. The 21-year-old provided the inch-perfect pass for Lewandowski’s first goal in the 20th minute — combining well with Pedri before showing his speed of thought to set up the Polish striker.
He also scored his team’s third via a heavy deflection in the 58th minute to give them peace of mind when Villarreal were playing well after Perez’s effort. It was only his second goal for Barca and one that repaid Flick’s faith in him, even if the German’s hand was forced by injuries in midifeld.
Torre was a surprise starter in midfield (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
At the end of the match, Torre looked for his family in the stands, smiling and blowing kisses to them. He may get more opportunities to prove himself based on this performance.
The perfect response to Monaco
The Monaco loss brought back bad memories for Barca fans, who have suffered some embarrassing European defeats in recent years. But this result strengthened the sense that Flick is building something at Barca.
He was smart, acted with calmness and used his squad wisely. His players follow his rhythm and show plenty of intensity. Martin, Dominguez and Torre were in top form after being trusted, Lamine Yamal was at his best again and Lewandowski has started the season in fine form — he is La Liga’s top scorer with six goals in six matches, followed by the impressive Raphinha with five in six.
Lewandowski is in fine form under Flick (David Ramos/Getty Images)
It was the ideal response to Champions League disappointment, suggesting that defeat to Monaco was an accident rather than a reality check. With a rotated team and against well-rested opponents who are aiming for European football next season, Barca were superior and withstood some heavy pressure.
“The team has good character,” Flick told the press conference afterwards. “They have the mixture between being very focused and enjoying playing football.”
What’s next for Barcelona?
Getafe (away), Wednesday, September 25 at 9pm CET (8pm BST, 3pm ET)
(Top photo by Ivan Terron/Europa Press via Getty Images)
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