Time to call Messi, lads? Barcelona fall to pre-season defeat at RB Salzburg as American Brenden Aaronson nets last-gasp winner – giving LaLiga giants a glimpse of what life could be like without their talisman as talks continue over his new contract
- Barcelona suffered their first pre-season setback after losing to RB Salzburg
- Luka Sucic had netted the opening goal in Austria with a first-half thunderbolt
- Martin Braithwaite scored a bizarre leveller late on after a fortunate deflection
- But Salzburg hit back again on 90 minutes when Brenden Aaronson tucked in
Four games, four wins. That would have been ideal preparation for the new season for Barcelona and Ronald Koeman. Football rarely works out this way, though, especially in pre-season, which is renowned for its chaos and unpredictability.
This time around, Barcelona were made to taste defeat against an impressive RB Salzburg. It was teenager Luka Sucic who stole the show, after his fine first-half strike left Neto rooted before finding the top corner.
The hosts were the more dominant team throughout, but found themselves pegged back late on after a strike took a hefty deflection off the unwitting Martin Braithwaite and found its way into the net.
Luka Sucic scored the fine opening goal in RB Salzburg’s pre-season victory against Barcelona
Salzburg would not be denied late on, however, with Brenden Aaronson scoring the winner. Chukwubuike Adamu cracked an effort against the post, and Aaronson reacted quickly from close range to simply poke in.
Koeman, now blessed with the return of most of his first-team players, although Lionel Messi notably remains away, opted to reshuffle his team yet again. Handed another start after his rapid start to life was Memphis Depay.
Depay, signed from Lyon earlier this summer, looks truly at home in the jersey of Barcelona and should have added to his pre-season tally in Austria. The forward had wriggled towards goal from the byline in the first half, but fired wide.
Teenager Sucic (centre) was mobbed by his team-mates after his long-distance shot beat Neto
Frenkie de Jong started at the heart of midfield for Barcelona in their fourth pre-season clash
Later, calamitous defending from the visitors should have seen Salzburg take the lead, only for a horror miss just yards out to keep the scores locked level. The ball was rolled across to Noah Okafor, who somehow skewed wide.
In a stadium packed to the rafters with 30,000 spectators, Salzburg looked notably more energetic than their opponents, surely due to the fact they are already two games into their domestic season.
This translated into another good opening for Okafor, who again missed. Soon after, this would count for nothing, thanks to the magic from the boot of Sucic. The teenager, who supports Barcelona, netted after a deflection off Frenkie de Jong.
Salzburg impressed throughout in the rain-drenched friendly in Austria and took the late win
Goalkeeper Neto was left furious after some questionable defending left Barcelona frustrated
Another unruly nick led to the bizarre equaliser with just minutes left on the clock. Right back Sergino Dest, having marauded forward once again, let fly from a difficult angle, and the ball bounced off a defender and then Braithwaite.
It was his first game back with his club after leading the line for Denmark at Euro 2020, and he is unlikely to score a more fortunate goal for the rest of the campaign, with goalkeeper Nico Mantl left clawing at thin air.
Just when it appeared the spoils would be shared, Salzburg carved out the winner, sparking wild scenes of celebration. Adamu’s neat twist afforded him space to shoot, and when the base of the post intervened, Aaronson tucked home.
