CG11

Not overrated We are just good. Get over it

It wasn't just that Barça won the Copa del Rey; it was 𝘩𝘰𝘸 they won it. It was not the Champions League, but these days small victories must be celebrated with great joy; and this wasn't a small victory, but a 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳-nil in a final. It was an exhibition and a masterclass on how to unbalance a low block. Mobility between all players to create confusion in the Athletic Club defenders, before using switches and changes of rhythm at just the right moment to exploit the spaces generated by the movement of the opponents. From the free man created by the back 3 against Athletic's front 2, with Óscar Mingueza being vital in translating the superiorities from build-ups to the opposing half, to the fluency and extreme precision in the final third. The 4th goal came after an uninterrupted sequence of 2 minutes and 26 seconds of possession﹙our record this season﹚, with 60 passes in total and all players touching the ball. If at half-time there was the fear that Athletic could improve after having been poor but still managed a goalless draw, that couldn't have been further from the truth. Barça's merit was to maintain their very high level throughout the entire match, or even increase it with every passing minute. The blaugranas were better than Athletic in every single facet. Dancing on — and later off — the pitch. Huge credit to the team, and obviously to Ronald Koeman.