Cádiz vs Barcelona summary: Barça fine second half, score, goals, highlights, LaLiga 2022/23

Lewandowski is frightening

Lewandowski scored again, to make it six goals in five games in the league and nine goals in six games overall, with his hat-trick in mid-week in the Champions League. Possibly even scarier was his ability to hold off Zaldua, who was all over him, for a healthy distance as he ran into the box, to then lay it off for Ansu Fati to score. So strong. 

He looks like he's absolutely loving his football, and is as physically potent, has as much vision and is as sharp in front of goal, as ever. Defences facing him should be terrified.

The medical emergency

It is clear everyone was affected by what happened. Let's hope it's just a scare. At the end of the day, football is for people to enjoy

The match

As the captain of the ship, like on the Titanic, I have to be the last one to jump. LaLiga is unforgiving. We have no goals and no points, which is a very heavy burden. But we have to pick ourselves up. We have to get rid of all the bad feelings. Next week we have a game in our [section of the] league".

Fans and players

The Cádiz fans are a privilege to have. We are utterly committed to them They are an example of humanity after what has happened here, as are the Barcelona fans.

Xavi's quick touchline interview at the end of the game.

The medical emergency in the stands

It was a very unpleasant situation for everyone. Health and life are more important than anything. Fortunately they were able to revive the person and [it looks like] he is safe and sound. We thought it was better for both sides to restart the match. But we hope for his speedy recovery.

The reaction of the fans

It was a matter of humanity, there was no other choice. People's humanity comes out. We all try to do our bit. 

The game

It was an important win at a difficult ground. We created chances, dominated and picked up three points to stay up top. 

 

Full time. Barcelona's decent second half gives them all three points. Frenkie de Jong names man of the match. 

Obviously the afternoon was overshadowed by the long stoppage while a fan was attended to for a medical emergency in the stands. 

Xavi, in his touchline interview, says somethings are more important than football, and hopes that the fan is ok. 

Three minutes of time added on. Cádiz still pushing to get that first goal of the season. 

Cádiz started brighter after the restart, but Barcelona suddenly have the chance of a break...

Free-kick in a danger position for Cádiz. Alcaraz takes it and will wish he hadn't after that effort. Side-footed for more control, but you wouldn't guess it from the way the ball flew over the bar. 

Cádiz go on the hunt up the left, and get a cross in, but the Barcelona defence deals with it. 

Ref Cerro Grande puts the ball back in play, and we are underway.

Game will start in five minutes time, so 3.05 p.m ET, which is 9.05 p.m. local time. 

Players back out in Cádiz. The fan who suffered the medical emergency has been taken to hospital. 

Game still stopped in Cádiz after a fan suffered a medical emergency. The players are in the dressing room, while the fan is being given treatment. 

Cádiz player José Mari with a stretcher

Footage of Cádiz player, José Mari, helping medical staff take a stretcher up to the stands where the fan has suffered a medical emergency. 

Players in dressing room

Cádiz confirm the game has not yet been suspended and the expectation is that they will finish the game once the medical emergency has been resolved. 

A cardiologist who is in the ground as a supporter is being taken to help with the treatment of the fan in distress.

Stadium announcer has said the game will not be cancelled at this stage, but is stopped for the time being and has asked the fans in the zone where the medical emergency is taking place to leave the area. 

Ledesma with the defibrillator

This image is going around the world: Cádiz goalkeeper Ledesma runs with a defibrillator to throw it into the stands where the fan required treatment.

The players are being sent to their dressing rooms it seems. Captains talking to the referee. 

The fan is an elderly man who began to feel indisposed in about the 80th minute. 

At the moment the medics are continuing to treat the individual with no possibility of being able to move him.

Referee Cerro Grande is talking with Cádiz coach Sergio. Very serious faces. 

If you don't know how to do CPR, please do consider going on a course. There are often free ones available from local health associations, and you might just save a life 

Most of the footballers are in the centre circle, waiting and watching to see how things develop. The game has been stopped for nearly 10 minutes now.

The fan is being given CPR in an attempt to revive them.

Game has been stopped for seven minutes now. Complete silence in the ground as the medical teams work. Some of the players are praying. 

Game stopped as a fan requires medical attention. The medical personnel from the teams are in attendance.

Ledesma has gone sprinting over to get a defibrillator and hurled it up to the people attending to the individual in distress. 

Cádiz still gamely trying, but they'll need more than an over-hit cross from Bongonda that goes straight out at the back post. 

Final change for Barcelona and it's none other than Marco Alonso on for Balde. 

Marcos Alonso's father, also Marcos Alonso, played for Barcelona from 82 to 87, appearing 124 times and scoring 28 goals. He played mainly as a right-winger. His father, also called Marcos Alonso, was also a footballer, who played for... Real Madrid from 54-62. He was a defender and was involved in Real Madrid's five European Cup triumphs in the 50s. 

Time for a cooling break. Teams off to grab their water bottles and get their coaches' thoughts on the game. Xavi will likely be keen for his charges to pretty much carry on as they are; Sergio on the other hand... does he ask them to really go for it and possibly ship several, keep it tight and hope? Only 15 minutes left...

Alcaraz! Head on a corner, but it goes over...

Xavi decides it's time for some Ansu Fati, with Raphinha, who has been threatening all game, coming off. 

Cádiz coach Sergio goes for another change: Mabil on for Lucas.

And a third: Fede San Emeterio off for Ruben Alcaraz

Cádiz going to try and shake it up, taking off Sobrino and bringing on Negredo, who usually has a spark of danger about him. 

Raphinha from the top of the box, curls one between a defenders legs, but it was trundling along and Ledesma got down to trap. 

Six goals now for Lewandowski in five games in LaLiga. So he's top scorer, or pichichi as it's called round these parts. 

Cádiz in pots of bother now. Raphinha able to stride in at will and batter out a shot... it's not far from 0-3, but just the wrong side of the bar for that. 

Busquets! Ball comes back to the defensive midfielder outside the Cádiz box and his effort goes sizzling over the crossbar. 

Barcelona looking really dangerous now - Cádiz are looking tired and the new players Barça have just brought on are bringing some vim, vigour and vitality to the attack that Cádiz can't deal with. 

Attempt at goal straight from a corner? Or just badly hit? Straight into the side netting in any event. 

Cádiz's time to make some changes. 

Alex Fernández off for Tomás Alarcón, and Ivan Alejo off fro Theo Bongonada. 

Dembélé causing danger straight away, he edges up on the left and sends a ball in that Ledesma just grabs, with Lewandowski lurking just behind him like an apex predator at a water hole. 

And now Barcelona throwing on fresh legs to make life even more difficult for Cádiz. Memphis off for Lewandowski. Gavi for Pedri, and Torres for Dembélé. 

Free-kick in, nodded away only  as far as Fede San Emeterio, who has a fine chance to open the scoring, but blasts it miles over. Absolute waste of an opportunity and he's disgusted with himself. 

Buquets into the book for that challenge. 

Great run along the bye-line from Raphinha and Cádiz eventually bundle the ball out for a corner. Nothing comes from it, and Alejo ends up charging up on the break. He's eventually chopped down by Busquets. 

Lewandowski, Dembélé and Pedri have been warming up on the touchline. Xavi pondering when to unleash them. 

De Jong goes to chip Ledesma from distance, which is a nice idea, but he's about 3 inches too low as the Cádiz keeper reaches up and grabs it no bother. 

Second-half underway!

Possession

Barcelona had 74.9% of the possession in the first half. 

Half-time! Cádiz have not only kept Barcelona at bay, they made a few chances of their own and have gone toe-to-tow with their illustrious rivals all over the pitch. They definitely also have a 12th man in the home support who have been fantastic all half. 

The worry for Cádiz is that they've put in an absolute shift in that half, and every time they've looked over at the bench they've seen a fair amount of talent smiling back at them, not least one Robert Lewandowski... 

Raphinha goes haring off on the break down the right, but it all slows up when he overruns the ball and it hits his ankle in a classic bit of miscontrol you'll see out on your local pitch every Sunday morning. 

He does manage to continue the break and switches sides to the left where it falls to Ferran who hits a curler thinking about the top corner but it's just over. Nice technique though. 

Barcelona chucking it all at the Cádiz goal at the end of the first half. Oh! Dramatic stuff from Ledesma to palm a swirling ball to his back post away. 

Three minutes of time added on. 

Memphis in a position that would have been delightful, if not for the offsidedness of it. He hit his shot at the keeper anyway.

Xavi continues to chunter on about the penalty. The assistant referee gets an earful as she runs past the dugout. Suspect there is little she can do to change the decision either then or now.

Gavi for Barcelona and Fede from Cádiz with a tremendous collision and both are getting treatment.

Zaldua flirting with danger for a pretty rough challenge, but ref happy with just a foul. 

Barcelona think that has to be a penalty as Balde is blocked and shoved to the ground by Alejo right inside the corner of the box.

It certainly looked like one that would be given anywhere else on the pitch, but referee Cerro Grande shakes his head somewhat condescendingly at the Barça protests. Xavi is beside himself in the technical zone and the fourth official has to have a quiet word with him to calm down. 

The one thing you can say is that Balde certainly went flying to the ground as soon as he felt Alejo touch him.

You wouldn't guess from the game so far that Cádiz are bottom and yet to win a game and Barcelona are second, having won three in a row. True that Barcelona have made nine changes for today's game and have slightly shaded the chances so far, but the two teams are pretty evenly matched out there so far. 

Memphis at the back post has to score! But he seemed to be taken by surprise by the header across the face of goal and sclaffs his shot into the side netting. 

Off we go again! Teams fully hydrated.

Best chance of the pre-drinks-break part of the game: Raphinha's shot off the post. A peach of a move, a very decent effort. 

It's all got a bit niggly out there and both sides are struggling to put together any  beautiful, flowing moves. Maybe some water would help... and would you know it, it's the hydration break. Teams trundle off to their respective dug-out zones to get some juice and a hand-waving tactical talking to from their coaches. 

Sobrino files into Busquets who was protecting the ball very nicely, and it's the Cádiz man who comes off worse, smacking his ribs off the Barça man. He's down in pain, but soon enough up. 

Lucas Pérez times his run to imperfection and strays into flag up territory. 

Bellerín needs to be a little bit careful. That's another foul for him, and referee Cerro Grande is clearly not in the mood for his explanations. 

Now it's Cádiz's turn to get into the box and create some danger - from a corner Mbaye gets into a decent position, but the Barcelona defence, after some initial doubts, put paid to his cunning plans. 

Raphinha gets RIGHT under a rebound and sends it flying into the stands. Head down, lad, head down. 

Another foul from Barcelona has the Cádiz fans raging... this one is out on the right and close enough for Lucas to swing it into the box. He gets a peachy curl on the ball, but it's about 3% too strong and clears everyone to bounce handily into Ter Stegen's waiting hands. 

Barcelona looking rather more likely at the moment. Couple of mini scares for Cádiz at the back, and then as they try to bring it clear Busquets does very well to nick the ball and has the chance to send it in, but overhits to Ledesma. 

Lucas needing some attention after that one on the back of his leg from Raphinha. The kind of foul Xavi somehow never sees from his own side. 

After some magic spray Lucas is good to go. He smiles ruefully. That was a fine break too the foul put paid to.

The freekick in the midfield comes to nothing.

Raphinha chops Lucas rather filthily from behind as the Cádiz man goes on a break. He protests his innocence, but that was cynical. 

Entertaining, open game this. Both sides are delightfully keen to go forward. True that Barcelona are beginning to dominate possession a little more. 

Off the post from Barcelona! Nice move and Raphinha finds himself free on the right at the top of the box, he lets fly and the ball beats Ledesma all ends up and cannons off the post!

The initial frenzied pace from the home side has blown over and Cádiz are still keen to go forward, but rather more cautiously. That of course means going forward can very quickly turn into going backwards if Barcelona get their pressing right, which they tend to do. The crowd amuse themselves by whistling Ter Stegen when the ball gets passed back to him. 

Ferran down the left looks solid and he manages to get the ball into the box where Memphis creates danger, holding on to the ball and releasing De Jong with a backheel. He's quickly closed down right on the line and when the ball comes out of the stramash back to Memphis whose final effort goes into the hands of Ledesma. 

Cádiz have started at a frenetic pace, and Barcelona are yet to really put their foot on the ball and control it. 

Barcelona defence in all sorts of bother as Cádiz send a fast ball out wide left which is crossed in, and JUST doesn't quite fall to Sobrino. Bit of a let off for the visitors there. 

Off we go! Kick-off at the Nuevo Mirandilla!

Cádiz take the kick-off and manage to force a corner within the first minute. The noise is brutal. 

Mágico González

Cádiz legend Mágico González is taking the honorary kick-off. The support for him is crazy. According to several his skills were on a par with, or even better than Maradona's... 

Cádiz in yellow, Barcelona in grey

Cádiz in their very smart, bright yellow home kit. Barcelona in a questionable, dull grey effort, which is their third kit. Of course the bills have to be paid somehow, but if you're going to have a third kit at least make it something tasty. 

Sell out in Cádiz!

The Nuevo Mirandilla is sold out. 25,033 fans crammed in. And it's some atmosphere down there. Hairs on the back of your neck standing up type noise. 

Making his debut

Hector Bellerín making his debut today.

Bellerín who is from Barcelona, started his career as a youngster with Barça, but moved to Arsenal in 2011 where he signed his first pro contract. He was on loan to Betis last season but with his contract at Arsenal up he rejoined his boyhood club, signing on 1 September. 

Bellerín became a vegan in 2017 and he says it's made a difference to his health; he's also a keen environmentalist and has argued footballers should do more to send a "meaningful message" to the fans. He's also not afraid of getting involved in politics, he encouraged youngsters to vote in the 2019 General Election in the UK with a tweet including the hashtag #FuckBoris. 

Cádiz and Barcelona injuries

Cádiz have Cala, Garrido and Lozano out, while Barcelona are missing Sergi Roberto. 

Espanyol 2-3 Sevilla

Up in Barceloana and they are six minutes in time added on and Espanyol are losing 2-3 to Sevilla. Lopetegui, Sevilla coach, has been sent to the stands for his reaction to Erik Lamela getting sent off. Eight yellow cards in total so far. 

Live is life

They're rocking out like it's 1984 at the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla at the moment with this sing-along classic from Austrian act Opus. Of course the song was the backing for possibly the most famous keepie-uppie routine ever, take it away Maradona...

Less than half an hour to go to kick-off.

La Liga as it stands

Here's how the league table looks at the moment. Happy enough reading for Barcelona, in second, atrocious reading for Cádiz, propping up the teams who are who propping up the table. 

BUT! Remember Cádiz have not lost in their last four games to Barcelona. Can they keep that run going today? 

Pitch watering schedule

Think it's new this season, but the TV in Spain are now including the pitch watering plan for before the game in the little graphics section. Apparently Cádiz are going for four minutes of watering, from 10 minutes before the game starts to six minutes before. The pitch looks in pretty good nick, but will it be enough to satisfy the ever-demanding Xavi?!  

Cádiz XI

Ledesma; Zaldua, Luis Hernández, Mbaye, Pacha Espino; Álex Fernández, San Emeterio; Alejo, Sobrino, Ocampo; Lucas Pérez.

Sergio González makes four changes, with Mbaye in central defence, Álex Ferguson in the engine room, Rubén Sobrino in the just behind the front line and Lucas Pérez as the number 9.  Chust, Antonio Blanco, Alarcón and Choco Lozano make way.

Barcelona XI in tweet format

Here's the Barcelona team, as they tweeted it out. Grey kits this afternoon. I must confess I think there should be a ban on grey kits, even if they do have a the team colours splashed across the front. 

Cádiz fans greet their team

Lotta love for the team from the Cádiz fans. It's often said, but it's absolute true, their fans are something special. 

Barcelona starting XI

Xavi goes with:

Ter Stegen; Bellerín, Araújo, Piqué, Balde; De Jong, Busquets, Gavi; Raphinha, Memphis and Ferran.

Xavi mixes things up for today, with nine changes from the side who played in the Champions League in midweek.

Bellerín makes his debut on the right. Araújo, Balde, Busquets and Raphinha are back. Piqué starts, along with De Jong, Ferran and Memphis.

All of which means Lewandowski won’t be filling his boots from the off, as he’s on the bench, alongside Pedri and Dembélé.

Happy birthday, Cádiz

It's the 112th anniversary of the founding of the club today. Will they be celebrating as they blow out the candles on the cake later?

Cádiz vs Barcelona: odds

Now, who might be favourites for this game? Ha, indeed. There’s not much doubt that Barcelona are crazy heavy favourites to win this one. They were at -400 (bet $400 to win $100) at Caesars Sportsbook. Cádiz are +1100, with the draw at +490.

We’re big fans of an upset, but only the very bravest of punters will be popping cold, hard cash on Cádiz stunning Barcelona and getting their first win of the season this afternoon.

Cádiz vs Barcelona: prediction

Whilst we reckon Barcelona will win, and win handsomely, we reckon Cádiz, driven on by their madly enthusiastic home fans will finally get their opening goal of the season.

Prediction: Cádiz 1- 4 Barcelona.

Barcelona possible line-up

Xavi might be pondering this set-up:

Ter Stegen; Bellerín, Araujo, Piqué, Balde; Busquets, De Jong, Gavi; Raphinha, Ferran and Lewandowski

Cádiz possible line-up

Here’s how Cádiz might set out their stall against Barcelona

Ledesma; Zaldua, Fali, Luis Hernández, Espino; San Emeterio, José Mari, Brian Ocampo, Alejo; Negredo and Lucas.

New signings for Barcelona

Barcelona’s two new signings Héctor Bellerín and Marcos Alonso are in the squad for the match against Cádiz. Xavi Hernández confirmed that he is counting on both of them for Saturday’s game, but he did not clarify what the roles of each would be.

Jules Koundé could be rested, so the centre-back pairing could be Gerard Piqué and Andreas Christensen, with the Champions League game in Munich in four days.

SOCCER

Cádiz - Barcelona: times, how to watch on TV, stream online in US/UK, LaLiga 2022-23

How to watch Cádiz vs Barcelona

Basically, if you’re in the states you’re looking for ESPN+ if you want to watch Barcelona's visit to Cádiz.

Barcelona expecting a fun afternoon in the sun

Barcelona, on the other hand, are enjoying life right now. After drawing their first game in LaLiga against Rayo, they’ve won three on the trot, 1-4 at Real Sociedad, 4-0 against Real Valladolid and a 0-3 win in Sevilla. They also just battered Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League opener.

New striker Robert Lewandowski is absolutely loving his new lease of life at the Camp Nou, having scored eight goals in five games since he joined from Bayern Munich. Expect him to go to town this afternoon.

Cádiz in a sorry state to face Barcelona

Cádiz have had a woeful start to the 22/23 Liga campaign. They’ve lost their opening four games and haven’t managed to score a goal yet. They’ve beaten 0-1 by Real Sociedad, 2-0 against Osasuna, thumped 0-4 by Athletic and most recently shipped 3 away to Vigo.

Keep an eye on Brian Ocampo, the 23-year-old Uruguayan who came in in the summer. He made his debut starting against Celta Vigo, and despite the defeat looked lively.

Cádiz vs Barcelona

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Cádiz vs Barcelona, live from the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla. Kick off is at 12.30 p.m. ET, 9.30 a.m. PT, which in Spanish money is 6.30 p.m.

It’s an absolutely gorgeous day in Cádiz, bright and sunny, with a temperature of 79º F expected at kick-off. It’s certainly beach weather right now. Not that we're there (and not that we're bitter...)