FC Barcelona star Joao Cancelo admitted he struggled throughout their 3-2 La Liga win at home to Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Barcelona failed to generate any consistent momentum at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys and looked set for a first La Liga loss of the campaign as they headed into the final stages 2-0 down.
Cancelo was one of the main culprits for an off-key performance as he struggled to cope with Celta’s attack and make a meaningful impact going forward.
However, as the tide of the game began to turn, so did Cancelo’s own input. He laid on an assist for Robert Lewandowski’s leveller, before scoring the winner himself.
Xavi admitted his team failed to get the basics right in the game but got over the line thanks to their grit in the latter stages.
“I was lost in the game. I made too many technical errors that are not normal in my game. I had to improve and turn things around”, as per reports from Mundo Deportivo.
Despite his personal frustration, a first club goal was a high point for Cancelo. Sporting director Deco confirmed that Barcelona want to retain him and Joao Felix next season.
Inter made to toil
Inter Milan’s perfect start to the Serie A season continued with a 1-0 win at Empoli on Sunday. But, the Nerazzurri found it harder than they perhaps expected against a side that has yet to register a point or score a goal after five matches.
It needed a special strike from Federico Dimarco in the second half to break down Empoli’s resolute defence, who had conceded 12 goals in their previous four matches.
More than half of those came in last weekend’s 7-0 defeat at Roma, which led to the dismissal of coach Paolo Zanetti and the hiring of Aurelio Andreazzoli for his third spell at the club.
Inter have now won all five of their Serie A matches, conceding just one goal, and moved three points ahead of second-placed AC Milan.
Boniface brace
Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface scored twice in a 4-1 victory over promoted Heidenheim on Sunday, as his team joined Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga with their fourth win in five league games.
The 22-year-old Nigerian, who joined Leverkusen this season, has now netted six times to equal the club record for most goals by a player in the first five games of a season.
Xabi Alonso’s team wasted a bagful of chances after leading 1-0, allowing Heidenheim to briefly come back. The hosts were far more efficient after the break and scored three more times to move up to 13 points.
Written with inputs from AP/PTI
