Fortunately, you can fall in love without Lamine Yamal: the hot notes from Barça-Valencia

BarcelonaA big party at Johan Cruyff. A First Division RFEF stadium witnessed a second half of the Champions League in which everything went well for Flick's team. Except for the problems with Ferran's goal, it was all good news, like the return of Marc Bernal, who had time to provide an assist in the few minutes he had. It was beautiful.

Fermín, goals and kisses

It's a good thing you didn't leave. It's a good thing you stayed, Fermín. Just as he did at Gamper against Como, he paved the way for the Johan Cruyff Stadium. The stadium where the names who must triumph in the future pass through, in the shadow of La Masia. Fermín loves this club and represents a way of life. You don't always find players like him, with this commitment. A man who sincerely kisses the badge, who has learned Catalan, who gives his all. But also a different kind of player: few players in the squad have that long-range shooting mastery like him. How lucky he is to have stayed with us.

Lewandowski pressures Ferran

One of the best things about the match is seeing how much you can score goals and enjoy yourself without Lamine. Don't let anyone misinterpret this; life is always better with Rocafonda's genius on the pitch. But Barça needs to know they have alternatives. That around the best player in the world, you have players who can decide matches. Lewandowski showed he's still the same as always, firing on all cylinders with two goals. Raphinha didn't miss either. The only thing Ferran didn't have on his day. And the Pole is knocking on the door of a starting spot at Newcastle.

Raphinha deserved to be forgiven.

It's fine that Flick is like a 19th-century German teacher: strict. One of those who sets rules that must be followed. If Raphinha arrived late and was substituted for that reason, he was due for a slap on the wrist. Now, context matters too. The poor guy had just played two very tough matches with the Brazilian national team on the other side of the Pacific. The second in the highest stadium on the planet for international football, El Alto in Bolivia, at over 4,000 meters. After that effort, perhaps he could be forgiven. Luckily, he came on and scored two goals. He deserved it, after this week.

Poor management

The Johan Cruyff Stadium has joined the list of stadiums where a La Liga match has been played. One of the smallest, by the way. And for the first time, Barça was playing at home outside the Barcelona city limits. Small anecdotes within this seemingly endless series of events, all in reference to the return to Spotify's Camp Nou. It wasn't a disaster, playing there. But the management was. Communication problems, not knowing where the game is until the end, fans unable to enter... Barça deserves more serious management. But Laporta knows that if the ball goes in, everything else fades into the background. And luckily, it does.