The second half kicked off with that familiar hum that had been buzzing through the stadium all night, a steady wave of anticipation rolling down from the stands. Laurence Gonzales stood on the touchline, his jacket zipped up this time, arms crossed, eyes locked on the pitch.
He wasn't saying much now; the players were well aware of the game plan. They just needed to withstand Barcelona's rhythm long enough to carve out their own chances.
Barcelona came out with a sharper edge. Pep Guardiola hadn't swapped any players at halftime, but the energy was different.
Xavi immediately set the tone, calling for the ball, shifting it from side to side, then slicing through the center whenever Tenerife dared to step even slightly out of line. Iniesta glided between the lanes with a calmness that made his movements difficult to predict. Messi, now feeling at ease after a full half of sizing up Tenerife's back three, started checking infield more frequently.
But Tenerife didn't buckle. If anything, they tightened their grip.
Bellvis was barking orders with an unusual intensity, pointing out passing lanes, instructing De Vrij on when to push forward and when to hold back. Koulibaly shadowed Villa closely, getting better at reading his diagonal runs with each attempt. Cancelo made a few mistakes, but he didn't shy away—he threw himself into every challenge with energy and determination, even after Pedro managed to turn him once or twice.
The midfield was gritty, and Tenerife needed it to be that way. Kikoto, already feeling the weight of fatigue, pushed through and covered every inch he could. Casemiro started to find his rhythm in the match, opting for safer passes, sitting deeper, and making fewer reckless dashes into Barcelona's press.
Right from the start, Griezmann was sneaking into little spaces, Neymar was weaving between the lines, and Bony was locked in a tussle with Piqué and Mascherano, taking hits but holding his ground.
Then came the moment every Tenerife player had been waiting for.
In the fifty-eighth minute, Tenerife patiently built their play from the back. Bellvis moved the ball with an air of experience, stepping into midfield before sending a precise pass to Casemiro. Casemiro turned and released Grimaldo down the left flank, and the young wing-back took a moment to assess the situation.
He curled a cross over Piqué—not too high, not too looping, but quick and sharp.
Griezmann timed his run perfectly. He zipped between Mascherano and Adriano, letting the ball bounce just once so it would sit nicely for his stronger foot. The connection was spot on. A half-volley that zipped low, slipping past Valdés' glove and into the corner.
The roar from the away fans cut through the Camp Nou atmosphere like a burst pipe.
"¡GOOOOOOL DE TENERIFE! ¡ANTOINE GRIEZMANN EMPATA EN EL CAMP NOU!"
Laurence's arms shot up, an instinctive reaction he couldn't suppress. Victor pulled one of the assistants in for a quick hug, laughing as he called out to Griezmann.
Laurence clapped enthusiastically, shouting across the pitch, "Great run! Keep it up!"
The Tenerife players sprinted towards Griezmann, who slid toward the away section, which was buzzing and cheering after the equalizer.
In the sixty-fifth minute, Tenerife found themselves hesitating on defense. A quick throw-in from Barcelona caught Casemiro off guard, moving out when he really should've held his ground. Messi received the ball with plenty of space, effortlessly gliding past Koulibaly with a slick drop of his shoulder, and set up Pedro, who was making a diagonal run.
Pedro met the pass perfectly at the near post, slotting it past Aragoneses.
2–1.
Pep didn't leap up in excitement. Instead, he simply pointed at Alves and Busquets, signaling for some minor adjustments to keep the rhythm steady.
Laurence didn't waste any time dwelling on the goal. He quickly called Victor over and spoke decisively. "We need another linebreaker. Kikoto's out. Bring in Quaresma."
Quaresma entered the game with a sharp focus. His presence shifted the dynamics. Tenerife now had two creative players behind the striker, with Neymar drifting centrally and Quaresma weaving between the lines. Casemiro dropped deeper, forming what was almost a temporary back four in possession while Cancelo pushed high up the pitch.
Barcelona still dominated possession, but Tenerife's counterattacks were starting to pack a punch.
In the seventy-second minute, Neymar executed a cheeky flick for Bony, who dragged Piqué wide before trying to turn. Mascherano intercepted, clearing the threat, but the away crowd clapped in appreciation.
By the eighty-first minute, Barcelona had pushed their numbers forward, eager to seal the match. The defensive line squeezed high, with Dani Alves repeatedly charging at Grimaldo, stretching Tenerife to their limits.
And that's when Neymar decided to seize the moment.
As he received the ball near the left touchline, he allowed Alves to close in a bit too much before swiftly darting past him with a quick shift of his weight. Piqué stepped out a tad too early, anticipating an inside run, but Neymar held off just long enough to create a new angle. He slipped the ball across to Quaresma, who had quietly arrived behind him.
Quaresma didn't send in a high cross.
Instead, he drove a low ball toward the penalty arc.
Griezmann picked up on it instantly.
With a first-time curler, smooth and precise, he bent it away from Valdés.
Goal.
Camp Nou fell into a stunned silence before the Tenerife supporters erupted once more.
"¡GOOOOOOL DE GRIEZMANN! ¡DOBLETE! ¡QUÉ DEFINICIÓN!"
Laurence clenched his fist and punched the air once before hugging Victor and others.
Griezmann was swarmed by his teammates as Pep urged his players to increase the tempo.
The final minutes were nerve-wracking. Barcelona pressed hard, Messi roamed everywhere, and Xavi tried to pick up the pace with relentless passes. But Tenerife held firm. Koulibaly cleared a dangerous cross. De Vrij blocked a shot from Iniesta. Aragoneses stood strong against a firm strike from Pedro.
When the referee's whistle finally blew, it felt almost surreal.
Barcelona 2 – 2 Tenerife.
A point that felt like so much more—earned through structure, composure, and courage.
Laurence walked straight over to Pep Guardiola. They shook hands, a gesture of mutual respect.
"Well played," Pep said, sincerity in his voice. "Your team's really grown."
Laurence offered a slight smile. "We're trying. Still a long way to go."
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The press room was buzzing with energy. Barcelona matches typically attracted a crowd, but tonight even the neutral journalists seemed intrigued. It's not every day that a smaller team manages to snag a point at Camp Nou—not without digging in and hoping for the best, especially considering that same team had triumphed over Barcelona in the finals just a season ago.
Laurence was seated at the table, a water bottle in front of him, looking composed. When he spoke, his voice was steady.
"Good evening."
The first question came flying at him right away.
"Laurence, this is one of the toughest stadiums in the world, especially against a side coached by Guardiola. What does a result like this mean for you and the club?"
Without missing a beat, Laurence replied, "It means we executed our plan well. We didn't come here to hide. We wanted to test how our structure held up under pressure. And this match provided us with clear insights—both good and bad."
A Spanish journalist leaned in closer. "You mentioned structure. What did you observe tonight, specifically?"
"We were compact," he answered. "We pressed bravely at the right moments, and the players really supported one another. Griezmann took his chances well. Koulibaly and De Vrij had a heavy workload but stayed focused. And the younger players—Cancelo, Grimaldo—managed the pace even better than I anticipated."
Another journalist chimed in, "You kept Messi fairly quiet for long stretches. How did you manage that?"
Laurence shook his head slightly. "You can't stop Messi. You just have to limit the space around him. Koulibaly was disciplined, Casemiro provided cover, and our wingbacks stayed true to their roles. Messi still created chances—he always will. The goal is to minimize those opportunities."
A Catalan reporter raised his hand. "You have your club's first Europa League match in history coming up this week. How does tonight's performance affect your preparation for that?"
"Positively," Laurence said. "Playing against a team as quick and coordinated as Barcelona pushes you to sharpen your decision-making. Rapid Wien will present a different challenge—more physical. What we learned in transitions, how we managed under pressure, will be crucial."
Another voice chimed in. "Should Tenerife fans now expect European heroics after a performance like this?"
Laurence gave a faint, polite smile. "They should expect hard work. Nothing more. The result tonight doesn't guarantee anything. If anything, it just shows us what's possible when the details are right."