Celta Vigo 1-2 Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski scores stoppage-time penalty to earn Catalans dramatic victory - Eurosport

In a thrilling match on Saturday, Barcelona managed to secure a last-minute 2-1 win against Celta Vigo thanks to Robert Lewandowski's successful penalty kick that he had to take twice.

Celta Vigo deserved a draw in an unremarkable match, but sadly lost to a harsh outcome.

The team scored their goals during two different minutes near the middle of the match. Lewandowski, the player who made the first goal happen, received a pass from Lamine Yamal and quickly maneuvered around a defender before striking the ball with great force into the net.

Just after the game resumed, Iago Aspas took a shot that bounced off another player and made Rafa Benitez's team, who were in danger of being relegated, even with their opponents. They seemed like they were going to get at least one point until the very end when Fran Beltran attempted to clear the ball by hitting it with his foot, but Yamal intercepted and was hit by Beltran, causing the referee to award a penalty to Yamal's team.

Vicente Guaita prevented Lewandowski from scoring his first penalty, but after watching the replay, it was seen that he stepped out of bounds. As a result, the penalty was retaken and Lewandowski successfully scored, leading Barcelona to a win and securing them the third spot.

Is Lewandowski's Penalty Legal?

About 36 years ago, the stop-start penalty technique became famous because of John Aldridge, who used it for Liverpool. It was a big topic at that time, and it may have influenced him to change his approach slightly during the FA Cup final against Wimbledon. He noticed Dave Beasant had saved his penalty, and this may have been due to the attention the technique had received.

It appears that history is repeating itself as something old is becoming new again. The strict application of VAR on punishing goalkeepers for straying off their line appears unfair as they are simply responding to the forward who abruptly stops before taking a shot.

The replays displayed that Lewandowski always kept a part of his body in motion before hitting the ball. However, if attackers use this tactic to halt prior to their shots, it seems unfair for them to receive another opportunity if their lack of movement prompts the goalkeeper to move off the goal line.

Robert Lewandowski Named Player Of Match

During the match, Lewandowski displayed both positive and negative aspects of his playing ability. Even top players like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe do not match Lewandowski's skill of converting a ball at his feet into an unbeatable scoring opportunity, which he showed just before halftime.

Somehow, he managed to make the crucial contribution that secured him the award in a lackluster match. However, his behavior towards Vitor Roque, who was making his first appearance, when their connection did not go as planned, was not admirable.

When playing alongside the Pole, Jakub Blaszczykowski, Kingsley Coman and Arjen Robben all faced challenges. These players may provide comfort or understanding for the Brazilian player.

Celta Vigo's football match saw Guaita score 7 points while Mingueza scored the same. Starfelt was given a score of 6 while Dominguez and Ristic were also given a score of 6. Tapia, Fran Beltran, De la Torre, and Allende all received a score of 6 for their performance, and Strand Larsen and Aspas scored 6 and 7 respectively.

Alternative: Nunez scored 6 points, Sanchez got 7 points, Swedberg earned 6 points, Vazquez also got 6 points, and Douvikas got 6 points as well.

In Barcelona's recent game, Ter Stegen had a score of 6 for his performance. Kounde received a 5, while Araujo and Pau Cubarsi both scored 6. Joao Cancelo also had a score of 6. Midfielders Christensen, De Jong, and Pedri all received a score of 6. Lamine Yamal had a standout performance, receiving a score of 7, as did Lewandowski who also scored a 7. Vitor Roque had a score of 6.

The following players received ratings in the six to seven range: Martinez, Gundogan, Raphinia, Lopez, and Romeu.

27' Christensen has an opportunity from a corner kick! He receives the ball at the front post and tries to kick it from six yards away, but unfortunately it misses the post by sliding just wide.

In the 45th minute, a goal was scored in the match between Celta and Barcelona. The scorer was Lewandowski. It was unexpected as it didn't seem like Barcelona would be able to score. Yamal passed the ball to Lewandowski about 20 yards from the goal. With just one touch from the outside of his right foot, he managed to position himself and shoot the ball successfully past the goalkeeper who was right inside the penalty area.

In the forty-seventh minute, a goal was scored in the match between Celta and Barcelona! Aspas, the hero of Celta, was able to score with the help of a great backheel from Mingueza. The ball was deflected off Kounde and went past Ter Stegen, ending up in the net.

In the 93rd minute, Barcelona was awarded a penalty. Initially, it was not an obvious call. Beltran was positioned to clear the ball from his area, but Yamal obstructed him and received a hit on his back. This resulted in an opportunity for Barcelona to win, which some may argue they did not earn.

In the 96th minute of the game, Lewandowski missed a penalty shot after stuttering before taking it. Guaita, the goalkeeper, blocked the ball by diving to his left. However, the penalty shot will be taken again because Guaita was off his line.

In the 97th minute, Barcelona scored a goal against Celta, with Lewandowski as the scorer. He used a similar technique as before, shooting towards the same corner but this time, he hit the ball lower. Unfortunately for Guaita, he was unable to reach it in time. The score now stands at 2-1 in favor of Barcelona.