This League is assuming a stony path for Barcelona. And the visit to Zorrilla was an absolute basalt. After tripping over many other stones, they could not do it again. The wound would have opened irreversibly. It was not allowed to fall. And they did not. The brand new society formed by Messi and Pedri tamed the white and violet rock thanks to a novel and sublime approach by Koeman. Match-rock saved and morale bath.

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Koeman started by winning a cheat game in the locker room. Aware of the defensive bleeding that the team had been carrying lately, he decided to wash his face with a 3-5-2. And without Coutinho or Griezmann. Adequate conditions so that the current lanes Jordi Alba and Dest could attack at will, and so that everything flowed in the engine room. Adequate conditioning factors so that Barcelona could enjoy and get ahead relatively quickly.

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Because the third central, Clement Lenglet, scored at pleasure the center of a Messi who is beginning to meet. The person responsible for it? To a large extent, Pedri González. The canary returned to play alongside the football god with a surreal naturalness. He was his best partner again. He returned all the walls well, and gave him a kilometer assistance. He always chose well. And he recovered balls like nobody else. Together they did mischief that no one torpedoed today. Indeed, neither Coutinho nor Griezmann were there. To Koeman's credit.

Koeman had the most recognizable midfield so far this year. Not because of the names, but because of the game played. That was DNA Barça. The brilliance of Pedri was joined by a very graceful de Jong and a stellar Pjanić. The Bosnian always played in fifth gear. Much more dynamism than that usually printed by Busquets.

They themselves cooked the second goal. Messi spiced it up, and Dest served it to the table of a very opportunistic Braithwaite. It seemed a lie: Barça finally managed to re-establish a cushion of two goals in favor in one game. He managed to scare off ghosts and hardships.

He did it against a Valladolid that did not park the expected bus. Rather, he rode a bicycle. Without closing in excessively, he tried to imitate Valencia and surprise the counter. But neither the chains of Óscar Plano and company were greased, nor was the Barcelona defensive trio willing to let them pass. Ter Stegen was a mere spectator ... to Koeman's merit.

Pedri and ten more

The second half offered the umpteenth connection between Pedri and Messi. But not just any one. Does anyone know if the regulation allows playing with eyes on the back of the neck? For the umpteenth time, the Canarian assisted a Messi with his heel, who definitively surpassed Pele's record. The magician from Tegueste even has the level to play as a starter in each match of the Eurocup. As they say, age is just a figure. Right now he is the best Barça footballer. It is the boy by which the culés will return to pay entrances in the future normality.

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