Lenglet on the Pedri-Messi axis: “Good players understand each other well”

Barcelona travelled to Real Valladolid intent on getting back to winning ways after dropping two points to Valencia this past weekend.

The Blaugrana sat sixth after being leap-frogged by Sevilla earlier in the evening and were hoping to regain fifth spot courtesy of a strong away performance and three points.

Ronald Koeman started with a new shape, with three centre-backs named in the starting XI in Ronald Araujo, Oscar Mingueza and Clement Lenglet.

It worked. Barcelona took the lead inside the first half-hour, opening the scoring in the 22nd minute through centre-back Lenglet. Lionel Messi dropped a perfect ball into the area for him to meet with his head and send the Blaugrana one up.

Messi was again pivotal for their second goal. This time he played a cute ball to create space for Sergino Dest down the right flank, who centred for Martin Braithwaite to finish smartly.

The Argentine was rewarded with a goal of his own as the game entered its final stages. Pedri, who’s exhibited a remarkable connection with Messi in his performances this season, played through his captain clean inside the area.

Messi proceeded to arrow a lethal finish past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net, breaking Pele‘s record of the most goals scored for a single club. Messi has now scored 644 for Barcelona.

Lenglet, speaking post-game in comments carried by Diario Sport, was content with his team’s performance.

The Frenchman said that Barcelona played a “complete game” with “many chances” that allowed them to win “with quality”.

Koeman’s idea to play with three centre backs “has gone well in this game” according to Lenglet because “both Jordi [Alba] and Sergino have been able to play higher to help the team”.

Lenglet touched on how they “don’t have much time to work between games and cannot prepare too much” but that they always endeavour to “get the best out of the time they have”.

Like everyone else who caught the game, Lenglet was impressed by the burgeoning relationship between Pedri and Messi.

“They are two good players, and good players understand each other well,” he said.

“Pedri plays with his head, thinks faster than the rest and has a good connection with Messi because he’s also intelligent.”

Tags Barcelona Clement Lenglet La Liga Real Valladolid

1 Comment

  1. Very nice and good experience change of fomashon Ana great effort from Barcelona players, but Jodi and grezman and umtiti has been a great player especially grizman and umtiti have leave the club

Comments are closed

La Liga - Club News