Just eight days after their first training session, Barça completed their first pre-season friendly against an inferior LA Galaxy side. The treble winners showed that they have a clear game-plan which delighted the 93.226 supporters who filled the Pasadena Rose Bowl to watch Luis Enrique’s side.
The first half had two opposing moments. Barça started strongly, pressing high and despite just returning from holiday showed that they still remember how to move the ball quickly and accurately. As the half wore on and the energy levels slipped, errors started to filter in to the game that clearly agitated Luis Enrique. Pedro in particular was looking keen and apparently playing with added motivation. Rakitic was omnipresent in the center of the park, constantly looking to feed the forward line with clever threaded passes against the Galaxy defense. A LA Galaxy team who are no more than a millionaire franchise dressed up with players in the twilight's of their career.
Sergi Roberto called Galaxy keeper, Rowe into action in the 34th minute. His final shot came about after a long spell of Barça possession. Luis Suárez fed the youth player and from just outside the area, and his effort was palmed away with a spectacular right hand stop.
Pedro and Rafina linked up well with Suárez, who took full advantage of looped ball from Batra to put Barça ahead on the stroke of half time. Until then, most of Barça’s creative play was forged on the left hand side with Adriano instrumental in much of their creativity.
Douglas (the only player to complete the full 90 minutes) was heavily involved in much of the activity at the start of the second half. He started to threaten from deep and came agonizingly close to scoring for the visitors. Sergi Roberto finally made it 0-2 with a rasping shot from inside the Galaxy area. The American team played the rest of the game chasing the ball but did manage a consolation goal from Meyer with 90 minutes already on the clock.
So, the first game in the 2015-16 Barcelona campaign ends with a victory, good sensations and the obligation for the team to keep up this intensity, so key to their style of play as is keeping the ball.