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Eric Bailly isn’t any stranger to controversy.
The Ivorian has already racked up sufficient this season for {most professional} participant’s in a whole profession.
After stepping into fights with teammates, blaming brokers for placing a curse on him and being kicked out of Besiktas, the previous Manchester United defender rejoined former facet Villarreal on the flip of the yr.
Final evening Bailly put in a efficiency that many United followers will bear in mind with a mixture of horror and fondness all wrapped up into one.
The Ivorian was concerned in quite a few loopy incidents in his facet’s spectacular and shock 5-3 victory away to Barcelona.
Villarreal raced right into a two nil lead within the first half regardless of having two objectives dominated out by VAR. Nonetheless, the Catalan giants fought again within the second half by means of two fast objectives from the all-too acquainted Ilkay Gundogan and Pedri.
Bailly’s evening was nearly to get fascinating, nevertheless.
After Barcelona’s second objective, Bailly received concerned in a goalline scuffle with Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski. After an trade of phrases, he pushed the Polish striker into the again of the Villarreal web. The former Bayern Munich man reacted and the pair butted heads. The referee selected to not ship both participant off and issued a yellow card apiece.
Lewandowski vs Bailly ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ymkbuPNWYQ
— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) January 27, 2024
Shortly after, issues received even worse for the defender as he inexplicably headed Gundogan’s free kick into his personal objective to offer Barcelona a 3-2 lead on the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Happily for Bailly nevertheless, El Submarino Amarillo fought again as soon as extra to extremely rating three late objectives to win the match 5-3 in a modern-day La Liga traditional.
The defender will probably be hoping that he can proceed to place his harm demons behind him and play common soccer for his new facet, as he has already performed 5 video games this month. Nonetheless, he might want to try to discover a technique to reduce out such erratic moments from his recreation.
After failing in Turkey, Bailly was handed an surprising lifeline to resurrect his profession in Spain however one feels this will probably be his final alternative to play on the really highest stage of European soccer.
