Teen Sensation Lamine Yamal Ignites Barcelona's Comeback
In a thrilling clash, Granada and Barcelona battled to a 2-2 draw, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal kickstarting Barcelona's incredible comeback. The match had its ups and downs, including Bryan Zaragoza's magnificent double strike, a near hat-trick, and some nail-biting moments.
The action kicked off with a shocker, as Barcelona found themselves trailing within just 18 seconds. A sloppy pass from Andreas Christensen to Gavi resulted in a loss of possession. In the blink of an eye, Gonzalo Villar launched a counter-attack, feeding Lucas Boye, who then set up Zaragoza. His shot defied the expectations of even the talented Marc Andre ter Stegen, finding the back of the net.
Zaragoza, a rising star at just 24 years old, continued to impress with his fourth goal of the season and an astonishing number of successful dribbles. His release clause stands at a mere 14 million euros.
Barcelona fought back, but Andre Ferreira thwarted attempts from Joao Felix and Gavi. Granada extended their lead in the 30th minute, thanks once again to Zaragoza, who netted his fifth goal of the season. His skillful maneuvering left Jules Kounde helpless, and the ball soared into the net with the outside of his right foot.
In the midst of Barcelona's woes, a glimmer of hope emerged. Lamine Yamal, just 16 years and 87 days old, etched his name in history as the youngest ever La Liga goalscorer. Joao Felix orchestrated the play, finding Yamal in a crowded penalty area, where he slotted the ball home.
However, Barcelona was without key players like Robert Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong, and Ferran Torres had an off night filling in for Lewandowski. When Ilkay Gundogan provided a perfect cross, Torres missed a close-range opportunity, denied by Andre Ferreira.
As the clock ticked down, Yamal suffered a groin strain, adding to Barcelona's injury woes. With their attacking options limited, the Catalan giants had to shoot from long range, but both Gundogan and Gavi were unable to beat Ferreira.
With just 15 minutes left, the tables turned. Jesus Vallejo and Jose Callejon attempted to draw fouls from Joao Felix, but their efforts were in vain. As play continued, Alejandro Balde delivered a cross, and Sergi Roberto found the net to level the score.
Barcelona even thought they had secured victory when Joao Felix netted a goal at the far post, but Ferran was caught offside in the middle.
Between the equalizer and what could have been the game-winning goal, Zaragoza hit the post on a Granada counter-attack. Despite Barcelona's resilience, the night belonged to Zaragoza, even if it denied him a winning outcome.
In the end, the thrilling clash concluded with a 2-2 draw, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
