Barça had their second goal disallowed in the 19th minute as Raphinha found the back of the net, only for the flag to go up for an offside call on him, despite his lack of involvement in the initial buildup. This puzzling decision was confirmed by VAR, leaving many scratching their heads.
In the 5th minute, Barcelona thought they had taken the lead with a goal from Robert Lewandowski, but it was disallowed due to an offside in the buildup.
Following the international break, Barcelona returns to face Las Palmas in La Liga’s 30th gameweek, aiming to maintain their pre-break form and keep the pressure on Real Madrid. Additionally, this match serves as a precursor to their upcoming showdown with PSG in the Champions League.
Despite rumors of Vitor Roque starting, Xavi opts for Robert Lewandowski once again, possibly with the PSG clash in mind. Lewandowski leads the attack, supported by Raphinha on his left and Lamine Yama on his right, while Ferran Torres returns to the bench after a couple of months.
In midfield, injuries to Pedri, Gavi, and Frenkie de Jong force Ilkay Gundogan into another start. Sergi Roberto partners him in a double pivot, while Fermin Lopez gets the nod as the attacking midfielder.
With Ronald Araujo omitted from the lineup, Inigo Martinez starts as the left-sided central defender alongside Pau Cubarsi in the heart of the defense.
