First‑half struggle at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere
When the referee blew for kick‑off, Real Oviedo seemed set to make life uncomfortable for the visitors. The home side pressed high, forced a early mistake and slotted the ball past Marc-Andre ter Stegen before the hour was out. The goal shifted momentum; Oviedo grew into the game, riding the roar of their fans and keeping Barcelona on the back foot.
Barcelona’s possession was decent, but the passes lacked bite. Pedri tried to thread balls through tight channels, yet Oviedo’s midfield line held firm, denying the Catalans any clear‑cut chances. By the time the halftime whistle sounded, the scoreboard read 1-0 in favour of the hosts, leaving Barca with a clear agenda for the second half.
How the Barcelona comeback unfolded
Coach Xavi Hernández emerged from the dressing room with a simple message: stay compact, win the midfield battle, and take the moments when Oviedo left space behind. The change was immediate. A tighter defensive shape forced the visitors to play long balls, which Barcelona’s centre‑backs intercepted.
Eric Garcia, who had been quiet in the first half, surged forward after a set‑piece. The ball curled in from the left, met his head and found the net, levelling the tie at 1-1. The goal sparked a palpable shift in confidence; the crowd sensed the tide turning.
- Robert Lewandowski followed up a swift counter‑attack, receiving a low pass from Gavi and finishing coolly into the bottom corner, putting Barcelona ahead 2-1.
- The third goal arrived ten minutes later when Ousmane Dembélé, given freedom on the right wing, cut inside and fired a low shot past the Oviedo goalkeeper, sealing a 3-1 lead.
Defensively, Jordi Alba and Samuel Umtiti shut down Oviedo’s wingers, while the midfield trio of Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong kept the ball moving, preventing the hosts from rebuilding.
By the final whistle, Barcelona had not only overturned the deficit but also demonstrated the depth of their squad. The win on foreign soil adds three crucial points to their league tally and sends a clear signal that the team can weather early setbacks.
Looking ahead, the Catalans will aim to carry this resilience into their next fixtures, fine‑tuning the attacking fluidity that sparked the comeback while maintaining the defensive discipline that kept Oviedo at bay.
