Last night Barca played their last match of 2023, where they met the Mexicans Club América in Dallas. It was a somewhat messy affair with many substitutions and it ended with a 3-2 defeat.
The match in Dallas was aimed at generating revenue and at the same time marketing Barca in the United States. The sporting significance of the match was therefore small and this could also be seen in the performance and the way Xavi approached the match, with players such as Astralaga, Fort, Cubarsí, Martín, Prim and Unai in the starting line-up.
FC Barcelona: Astralaga (Kochen, 61′), Héctor Fort, Christensen (Mikayil Faye, 46′), Cubarsí (Mbacke, 72′), Gerard Martín (Cancelo, 72′), Frenkie de Jong (Oriol Romeu, 46′) , Marc Casadó (Pau Prim, 72′), Unai (Fermín, 72′), Lamine Yamal (Alarcón, 61′), Marc Guiu (Lewandowski, 75′), Joao Félix (Ferran Torres, 46′).
Goal: 1-0 Yamal (5′). 1-1 Quiñones (12′). 2-1, Marc Guiu (28′). 2-2, Quiñones (50′). 2-3, Henry Martín (82′).
The game got off to a good start for Barca with a great goal by Lamine Yamal, who pulled into the box and made it 1-0 after just five minutes. The answer came quickly from Club América, however, when Quiñones nicely equalized with his heel to make it 1-1 in the 12th minute.
The game was marked by the fact that it was a friendly match and that Barca played with many reserves. There was a lack of intensity and nerve in the Catalan game, but still Marc Guii managed to put his team in front after half an hour when he slid a cross into the net.
The game wavered back and forth, with Barca struggling to get structure in their game. They had one good chance shortly before the half-time whistle, but it was 2-1 after the first 45 minutes.
Xavi substituted three players at half-time and the substitutions continued for the rest of the second half, leaving Hector Fort the only one to play the full 90 minutes.
The second half was opened by another goal from Quiñones, who after 50 minutes made it 2-2 with a header. The game slowed somewhat and at Barca it was really only Ferrann Torres who seemed like a threat. He had a couple of good attempts but had to see the keeper save.
It started to look like a draw, but then Henry Martín struck with a header in the 82nd minute and that goal gave Club Amércia victory in the meaningless game.
The likes of Raphinha, Sergi Roberto, Iñaki Peña, Gündogan and Koundé did not come on at all, while Lewandowski played the last quarter to fulfill the contract with the American hosts.
Immediately after the match, Barca’s players went to the airport to return to Barcelona, where a few days of Christmas holidays await.
