The Portuguese international explains the reason behind his lack of celebration after scoring the only goal for Barcelona in Saturday's match against Valencia, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Barcelona faced another setback in their pursuit of the LaLiga leadership as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Valencia on Saturday, with João Félix scoring the lone goal for the Catalan side.
The Portuguese international, in a post-match reflection, shed light on his decision not to celebrate immediately after scoring, citing the uncertainty created by VAR.
Félix explained, "Now, with VAR, celebrating a goal immediately can leave a bittersweet feeling because it might later be disallowed due to offside or a foul from five minutes ago. I didn't know if Raphinha was offside or not." This cautious approach reflects the impact of video technology on players' emotions and celebrations in modern football.
Despite Félix's goal and several opportunities created by Barcelona, they were unable to secure a victory. The Portuguese forward expressed frustration with the team's inability to convert chances, stating, "We created many opportunities, some clearer than others. I believe we lack the ability to finish them." He acknowledged the team's defensive struggles, emphasizing the need to win more duels and maintain focus to avoid conceding goals.
Reflecting on recent defeats against Girona and Antwerp, Félix defended the team's overall performance, insisting they are not doing things wrong. He expressed optimism about the team's quality, asserting that they will eventually find the back of the net.
Barcelona's third-place standing in LaLiga, with 35 points, is now under threat as Real Madrid and Girona have yet to play their matches in this round. Meanwhile, Valencia sits in the 10th position with 20 points. The competition for the top spots in the league remains intense, and Barcelona will need to address their challenges to stay in contention for the LaLiga title.
