Barcelona dropped points for the first time this season as they had to overcome a Clement Lenglet red-card and a second-half deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Girona on Sunday night at the Camp Nou.
Lionel Messi handed Barcelona an early 1-0 lead, but Lenglet's sending off changed the tone, and Uruguayan Cristhian Stuani struck on each side of half-time to give the visitors a stunning 2-1 lead. Barcelona's quality would rise to the surface though, as they equalised through Gerard Pique to snatch a draw.
For the first time this season, summer signings Lenglet, Arthur and Arturo Vidal were given starts in manager Ernesto Valverde's starting XI. Fresh off his Champions League hat-trick, Messi had the game's first look at goal early on with a stinging effort that forced Girona goalkeeper Bono into a save.
He didn't have to wait too much longer to hit pay dirt, as some good work from Arturo Vidal on the edge of the area ended with the Chilean finding Messi and the Argentine fired in a left-footed bullet for a 1-0 Barcelona lead.
Girona gave an early signal that they weren't just going to be another Camp Nou doormat and Portu quite nearly snuck in a shot past onrushing Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen only for Gerard Pique to clear it off the line.
Things would become much more complicated for Barcelona later in the half, as Lenglet was sent off with a straight red for an elbow to Pere Pons. Referee Gil Manzano, after consulting with VAR, decided that it warranted a sending off, leaving Barcelona reduced to 10 men for the final 55 minutes.
Girona went right to work and made full use of their advantage, with Stuani pouncing on a poor attempted clearance from Pique and depositing the ball into net to bring Girona level 1-1 right before half-time.
Needing to shore up the defence, Valverde took off Ousmane Dembele and on came Samuel Umtiti, but things went from bad to worse for Pique and Barcelona, as Stuani struck for a second goal just minutes after the re-start to give Girona a shock 1-2 lead. Portu ripped away the ball from Pique, and after a tackle from the defender in the area, fired at goal but was denied by Ter Stegen. However, the rebound fell to Stuani and the Uruguayan couldn't have hit it cleaner into net for the goal.
Valverde turned to his bench to get a spark and regain control of the midfield, swapping off Arthur and Vidal for Rakitic and Coutinho, respectively. The Barcelona attack kicked into gear and Messi was inches away from his second of the night via a free kick that pegged the crossbar.
Barcelona were galvanised by the presence of the two midfielders and soon enough the equaliser came when a Suarez shot was blocked into the air and Pique got there first, snapping a header past the chasing Bono to make it 2-2.
The centre-back's goal set the stage for a dramatic final half-hour, and despite the disadvantage, Barcelona had Girona pegged back. The hosts were creating and generating chances, with a Coutinho right-footer being the closest chance to a go-ahead goal, but it missed wide, leaving Barcelona to settle for a point.
Match Sheet:
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Semedo, Pique, Lenglet; Jordi Alba, Busquets, Arthur (Coutinho, min. 58), Arturo Vidal (Rakitic, min. 58); Messi, Suarez, Dembele (Umtiti, min. 46)
Girona: Bono; Alcala, Bernardo, Juanpe; Aleix Garcia (Borja Garcia, min. 46), Pere Pons, Muniesa, Granell (Douglas Luiz, min. 71), Aday; Portu (Doumbia, min. 84), Stuani
Goals: 1-0, min. 19: Messi; 1-1, min. 45: Stuani; 1-2, min. 51: Stuani; 2-2, min. 63: Pique
Referee: Gil Manzano (Extremadura).
Yellow Cards: Arthur (Min. 15) for Girona, Bernardo (Min. 39) for Girona, Juanpe (Min. 61) for Girona, Alcala (Min. 68) for Girona, Portu (Min. 69) for Girona, Pique (Min. 81) for Barcelona
Red card: Lenglet (Min. 35) for Barcelona
Stadium: Camp Nou
Attendance: 76.055
Hieeostuy
1
Thiago Meesi
Zehnopst
1
how come
SGM17
1
its good they get the chances... that is the only way they can really ease into the team and the only way there will be justification for leaving them on the bench when they fail to perform... It was a good draw in my opinion because playing for close to an hour with ten men is not easy... good team spirit to get the draw
SouTHeE
1
Yeah i know football n i also know barca fan who either win or they have excuses. You guys never accept your loss u have always excuses bla bla bla. And juv didn’t ask for penalties Valencia play foul so either way they they will games. Learn-to accept loss Accepting loss dont make u losers
first we not lose the but yeahh we lost the point. i accept that barca lose nd its a part of game. I'm just concerned about that we lose the point which is every fan do.
wunmight
1
I can't believe dis
lalanshah
0
yeahh...if u know football then u also know that football is unpredictable game , it always surprise you. never underestimate any team like last years rma nd barca lose to leganes which is not good team on the paper but they played very well. This is not first time that any team lose bcoz of red card but its difficult to win with 10 man rather than 11 players.nd juve got 2 penalties otherwise they will lose
Yeah i know football n i also know barca fan who either win or they have excuses. You guys never accept your loss u have always excuses bla bla bla. And juv didn’t ask for penalties Valencia play foul so either way they they will games. Learn-to accept loss Accepting loss dont make u losers
SouTHeE
0
Hahaha,here is barca who says red card made them difficult to win and there is juv who win game even cr7 red card. Here we see strength of team 😂 🤣
yeahh...if u know football then u also know that football is unpredictable game , it always surprise you. never underestimate any team like last years rma nd barca lose to leganes which is not good team on the paper but they played very well. This is not first time that any team lose bcoz of red card but its difficult to win with 10 man rather than 11 players.nd juve got 2 penalties otherwise they will lose
Nodeikopr
2
good
Mecdemsuy
1
Barca will be back soon than later. looking 4 triple
lalanshah
0
If there was 11 man then barca easily win the match..as they played 60 min. with 10 man which is difficult to play with any professional team. Good thing is that barca got 1 pt. with draw as they don't lose.
Hahaha,here is barca who says red card made them difficult to win and there is juv who win game even cr7 red card. Here we see strength of team 😂 🤣
Rakcmrtyz
1
We will be back stronger than ever
Kubcdeoty
0
If there was 11 man then barca easily win the match..as they played 60 min. with 10 man which is difficult to play with any professional team. Good thing is that barca got 1 pt. with draw as they don't lose.
ya that's ryt...
Je1
3
four freshers in one game is not good enough. Vidal hasn't shown enough class whenever he comes in as a sub to warrant playing in the hand as a starter, and Arthur hasn't gotten enough game time under his belt so putting this two in the mid field to start a game wasn't wise. then he puts Busquets in defence and left the two greenhorns alone in mid field? what is the coach smoking? seriously we need the club management to change to a better coach otherwise we won't go far. we have great players but the coach is not up to par
SouTHeE
4
If there was 11 man then barca easily win the match..as they played 60 min. with 10 man which is difficult to play with any professional team. Good thing is that barca got 1 pt. with draw as they don't lose.
Milin Grover
1
but Messi shaved his beard...😂😂😂😂..
epjo
2
only LIVERPOOL WIN 100% NOW MESSAGE TO CHELSEA
AßDūlNāsīrShāphīk
2
Can't believe they draw Barcelona
chekwasi
1
Players like Langlet should be punished and suspended for more matches. He has harmed Barca today fulfilling his reckless intension. It was totally reckless and unwise. He should have thought about what may happen because of his wrong intension. Today berca had a good starting which was destroyed by Langlet. So frustrating! The good luck was they had been able to draw the match. Thanks to Pique For the Second Goal. Forca Barca!
guy no dey comment on football⚽ if u don't watch football
FreeAgent10
1
Players like Langlet should be punished and suspended for more matches. He has harmed Barca today fulfilling his reckless intension. It was totally reckless and unwise. He should have thought about what may happen because of his wrong intension. Today berca had a good starting which was destroyed by Langlet. So frustrating! The good luck was they had been able to draw the match. Thanks to Pique For the Second Goal. Forca Barca!
I am in total agreement with you. He didn't think about the team at all!
Haoakpsuz
5
I was hoping messi scored at least one of those 3 or 4 freekicks
RS Totul
4
Players like Langlet should be punished and suspended for more matches. He has harmed Barca today fulfilling his reckless intension. It was totally reckless and unwise. He should have thought about what may happen because of his wrong intension. Today berca had a good starting which was destroyed by Langlet. So frustrating! The good luck was they had been able to draw the match. Thanks to Pique For the Second Goal. Forca Barca!
Nana2244
2
That's football for you...
ORUVAL2
0
FIRST do exist because there is SECOND and THIRD and FORTH....the game has just begun...
DoggyDog-oDawg
3
😕so many fouls in that final 30 minutes or so. None called 😔
chibuike4224
6
i have known starting vidal and dembele is a very bad thing. i know dembele is trying bur he still loses ball and even vidal goddamn isn't in his peak. About lenglet i dont think that's a red card because that was a repulse action. Now to face the stupid referee what sort of officiating is that? clear foul on Messi and busquet
AshtonLima
2
I don't think they will really do bad after this, they have managed a good start to lessor teams but let's see against Madrid and co. I feel that Barca would do well this year and will achieve what they work for. But they have too many players pushing for a spot in the 1st team and too much pressure because of that. But Barca is a smart team, so is Madrid , Altletico and the rest. They must not feel like they have a major advantage because the Spanish league teams are starting to rock major teams. so let's see what the season holds for the league holders and hopefully the team with the most passion, hard work ethic and great motivation can have success which is rightly deserved
Jamesmonde
3
only are fool who can blame players in such a perfect Performance, today we are blaming the fake refarees and VAR we had.....
Artuel__Grizhja
0
It isn't good to slip from such a chance to win, and get a draw. But I think that had to happen, it's all about luck. May both teams do their best at the next games!