Page 3 - SD Eibar 0-3 Barcelona: 3 Reasons why the Blaugrana won

SD Eibar 0-3 Barcelona: 3 Reasons why the Blaugrana won | LaLiga 2019-20

#3 Barcelona’s French connection fared well

Since his big-money move from Atletico Madrid over the summer, Antoine Griezmann has only shone in patches for Barcelona. The French World Cup winner was an unused substitute during the side’s 4-0 win over Sevilla before the international break but has proven his worth with a splendid performance against Eibar.

Griezmann opened the scoring for the Camp Nou outfit in the 13th minute after latching onto his compatriot Clement Lenglet’s long ball from the deep. The 28-year-old finished neatly from close range before helping the defending champions extend their lead after the break with a superb assist for Lionel Messi.

The former Atletico Madrid star played a vital role in setting up Barcelona’s final goal, which was scored by Luis Suarez eight minutes later.

Fellow France internationals Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti also put in impressive displays at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium. The centre-back duo were instrumental as Barcelona kept their second clean sheet away from home in La Liga this season.

Besides providing the assist for Griezmann’s opener, Lenglet was solid at the back for the Spanish champions, making several vital interceptions. His central defensive partner, Samuel Umtiti, who made his first appearance of the season in the absence of Gerard Pique, gave him able support. The former Lyon man looked a bit rusty at the beginning but grew into a compact defensive figure as the game progressed, making a couple of vital challenges inside the box.

All in all, the French trio in Barcelona’s starting line-up against Eibar played a pivotal role as the club move to the top of the standings, albeit momentarily.

Edited by Zaid Khan