Player Ratings

Barcelona 1-1 Eibar, Player Ratings: Dembele stars but Barca miss Messi

The Argentine watched on from the stands as his team-mates slipped up and lost more ground in the title race

 
9:10pm on Tuesday 29th December 2020
By
Paul Macdonald

Barcelona showed just how ineffective they are without Lionel Messi as they stumbled to a 1-1 draw against Eibar in the Argentine's absence at Camp Nou.

Ousmane Dembele ultimately rescued a point but yet more questions will be raised of this Barca team under Ronald Koeman.

Barcelona 1-1 Eibar: Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats

But who were the best and worst performers from both sides?

✔️ GOOD PERFORMANCE

Kike Garcia: 7.2

Against Barcelona and you're a team like Eibar, you're likely to only get one opportunity, and you have to take it.

And when Kike's chance came he was unerring in his finish. Robbing Ronald Araujo on the halfway line, he sprinted clear and when faced with the huge frame of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, he slotted the ball brilliantly with his left foot over the German.

Great finishing, and worth a point in the end for the visitors.

BAD PERFORMANCE

Martin Braithwaite: 5.3

Braithwaite had as clear a chance a you would want to open the scoring for Barcelona but, in taking Lionel Messi's duties from the penalty spot, contrived to strike his kick well wide of the target.

He also had a goal chopped off for offside - you could argue he should have held his run a little more to meet Junior Firpo's cross - and in all he just isn't convincing as Barca's No. 9.

Koeman's tactics require a focal point but Braithwaite isn't doing enough in that position at the moment to justify his selection.

STAR MAN

Ousmane Dembele: 7.7

The wide attacker was only given the second 45 minutes on his return from injury, but he was the only bright spark in attack for the Catalan giants.

Arriving for Sergino Dest wide in the 3-5-2, he made an instant impact, creating chances for team-mates and almost opening the scoring himself.

And he showed immense composure to slot home Firpo's low cross at the back post with his right foot into the corner. Barca's dysfunctional performance was not Dembele's problem.

Barcelona 1-1 Eibar: Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats

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