Chapter 27: Rhythm Against Eibar
September 19, 2017 – Camp Nou, Barcelona
La Liga Matchday 5: FC Barcelona vs. SD Eibar
Just three days after the grind against Getafe, Barcelona returned home to Camp Nou.
No rest.
No reset.
Just the next challenge in a brutal early schedule.
But tonight wasn't about resistance.
It was about flow.
Training Ground – Rotation Orders
Noah spoke softly in the early session.
"Eibar presses. That's a gift."
He turned to Messi:
"Stay high. Let them come."
To Deulofeu:
"You run wide. They'll chase shadows."
To Pedri:
"You get 30 minutes. Feel the game's heart rate."
Noah's hands moved across the screen, showing the opponent's high-line gaps.
"They give space in transition. Let's teach them what it costs."
Starting XI vs. Eibar
GK: Ter Stegen
DEF: Alba – Umtiti – Piqué – Semedo
MID: Busquets – Rakitic – Messi
FOR: Deulofeu – Suárez – Mbappé
System: 4-3-3 Vertical Channels Variant
Puig and Iniesta rested. Pedri and Denis on the bench.
Kickoff – Minute 1 to 15
Eibar pressed high, as promised.
Barcelona invited it.
Minute 8 — Busquets chipped over the line.
Messi caught it on the half-turn, darted left, then slid it to Suárez.
Suárez hit it low.
GOAL – Suárez.
1–0 Barcelona.
Simple. Clean. Ruthless.
Noah smiled from the sideline.
"They want chaos. We give them poetry."
Minute 17 – Equalizer
But Eibar didn't fold.
A miscommunication between Piqué and Umtiti led to a loose ball near the box.
Shot—deflected.
GOAL – Eibar.
1–1.
The stadium went quiet for a second.
Noah didn't blink.
He tapped his tablet:
"Trigger Phase Two. Shift Messi central."
Minute 22 – Response
Rakitic sent a slicing pass through midfield.
Messi took it cleanly, sprinted into space, drew two defenders—then passed blind.
Mbappé arrived from the right.
One touch. Low finish.
GOAL – Mbappé.
2–1 Barcelona.
Mbappé raised a fist—no celebration, just focus.
Minute 29 – The Masterstroke
Semedo overlapped.
Deulofeu cut inside.
Messi stayed behind the play, lingering in zone 14.
Ball returned to him.
He shifted it to his left.
Curl. Net.
GOAL – Messi.
3–1 Barcelona.
The press collapsed.
The game tilted.
Halftime – Momentum Restored
Inside the locker room, there was confidence again.
But Noah reminded them:
"They play like wolves. Wounded ones are more dangerous."
He looked at Pedri.
"You're going in minute 60. Don't control the game. Understand it."
Pedri nodded.
Second Half – Minute 46 to 65
Barcelona slowed the tempo.
Busquets dictated.
Semedo and Alba recycled.
Messi floated.
Minute 58 — Suárez chipped it into the box.
Messi arrived late.
Volley. Top corner.
GOAL – Messi. His second.
4–1 Barcelona.
Minute 61 – Substitution
Out: Rakitic
In: Pedri
The crowd buzzed again.
The kid was becoming familiar—and dangerous.
His first involvement?
Press, recover, diagonal switch to Alba.
Simple. But perfect.
Minute 73 – Third for Messi
Mbappé drove into the box, cut it across—
Messi let it roll behind his back foot, pivoted, shot without looking.
GOAL – Messi. Hat trick.
5–1 Barcelona.
Even the cameras had trouble tracking it.
Minute 83 – Final Strike
Pedri floated into the edge of the box.
Found Messi again.
Short pass.
Messi could've shot.
Instead, he squared it for Denis.
GOAL – Denis Suárez.
6–1 Barcelona.
Everyone touched the game.
Everyone shaped it.
Full-Time – 6–1 Victory
Not just dominance.
Symphony.
The kind of win that reset the league's mood.
Post-Match – Locker Room
Messi handed the match ball to a staff member.
Noah passed him and said, "You made space look like a lie tonight."
Messi chuckled. "No. It just obeyed."
To Pedri, Noah said:
"You no longer see spaces. You feel them."
Press Conference
"Messi's hat trick, Mbappé's confidence back, and Pedri in full rhythm," a reporter said. "Is this the best Barça we've seen this season?"
Noah smiled faintly.
"No. This is just the quietest."
Final Tactical Summary
Match Result: Barcelona 6 – 1 Eibar
Goals: Messi (3), Suárez, Mbappé, Denis
Assists: Deulofeu, Mbappé, Pedri, Suárez
Pedri Rating: 8.3 (30 minutes)
Messi Threat Index: 10.0
Mbappé Confidence Sync: Restored
Next Match: Girona (La Liga – September 23)
System Alert:
"Fluidity recovered.
Threat perimeter recalibrated.
Pedri – situational starter certified."