Barcelona’s reserve side began the evening with a chance to move, at least temporarily, to the top of the table, and Juliano Belletti’s young squad set about it in familiar fashion: with the ball. Against Peña Sport, Barça Atlètic took the opening possession after the visitors chose ends and quickly established territorial control.
By the seventh minute, the home team were dominating possession while Peña Sport sat deep in a five-man defensive line, waiting for recoveries and transition opportunities. Belletti deployed natural-sided wide players, with Aziz operating from the left and Álex González on the right.
Quick facts
- Barça Atlètic faced Peña Sport at 19:00, with temporary top spot available to Belletti’s side.
- Osasuna B were due to play Girona’s reserve team the following day.
- Barça Atlètic had not conceded a goal this season, with Iker Rodríguez in goal.
- Arnau Blanco, an assistant to Hansi Flick, was present in the directors’ box.
- Bisiwu, Orian Goren and Catovic were unavailable because of international call-ups.
Belletti selected Iker Rodríguez behind a back four of Guillem Víctor, Hafiz Gariba, Àlex Campos and Landry Farré. Argemí held the midfield, with Pedro Villar pushed further forward alongside Ybarra, while Ignasi Quer completed the attacking line with González and Aziz.
The Barça Atlètic bench included Bonfill, Castro, Pedro Rodríguez, Kluivert, Walton, Ibrahim Diarra, Joni, Òscar Gistau and Nil Vicens. Their defensive start to the campaign has matched the attacking intent: the side had still not allowed an opponent to score.
The international window had reduced Belletti’s options. Bisiwu, Orian Goren and Catovic had joined their national teams, while six players returned from Spain Under-19 duty: Iker Rodríguez, Àlex Campos, Pedro Villar, Pedro Rodríguez, Joni Hernández and Gistau. They had only one training session together before the Peña Sport match.
Peña Sport started Gabriel Torres in goal, with Vélaz, Moratalla, Hugo Terés, Urdániz, Asirón, Iker Gil, Samuel Sánchez, Carlos Alonso, Albizu and Ugartemendía also in the XI. Their substitutes were Ibañez, Bravo, Castillo, Ozcariz, Daniel Pérez, Ibai González, Reclade, Iñaki Rodríguez and Javier Moreno.
For Barça Atlètic, the task was clear in the opening exchanges: turn long spells of possession into a breakthrough against a compact visiting block, while preserving the defensive record that has shaped their early season.
