Two goals from Carlos Forbs produced a wild 3-3 draw at Jan Breydel Stadium, a game in which the Club Brugge led three times but Barcelona managed to claw back each time to earn a point.
The visitors looked rattled from the start. It took just six minutes for Brugge’s Nicolo Tresoldi to finish off a lightning counter by Carlos Forbs. Nicky Hayen’s best laid plans vanished again two minutes later when Ferran Torres equalised for Barça after a crisp build by Fermín López.
But the same pattern soon played out: minutes later Forbs struck again on the break to restore Brugge’s lead and put the hosts ahead at half-time.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn the second half, Barça were given hope when Lamine Yamal curled home in the 61st minute. But barely two minutes later Forbs grabbed his second and Brugge were leading once again. For a while it looked like the visitors were done.
However, late drama arrived in the 77th minute when a Yamal cross was turned into his own net by Brugge’s young defender Joaquin Seys.
Even in stoppage time, Brugge thought they had won, only for a VAR intervention to rule out a goal.
Barcelona dominated possession (76%) and compiled 23 shots to Brugge’s 10, yet the defence was exposed time and again on counters.
Brugge showed efficiency and the result stands as a warning that when Barcelona’s system is picked apart, the underdog can bite hard.
For Barça, a draw may feel like a rescue job. For Brugge, a point from this fight feels like a win, even though they know they came closer to the three.
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Pejuola Ransome
INMR FOOTBALL 
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