BARCELONA: Barcelona ground out a 1-0 win over Osasuna to move third in La Liga on Wednesday as Xavi Hernandez started his long farewell as coach of the champions.
The coach said he was stepping down at the end of the season after a heavy defeat last weekend left the Catalans 11 points behind league leaders Girona.
Barcelona cut that down to eight with a largely drab win over their mid-table visitors, earned by young Brazilian striker Vitor Roque’s first goal for the club.
Osasuna had defender Unai Garcia sent off for two yellow cards, but Barcelona could not put the game to bed.
The Catalans also trail second-place Real Madrid by seven points despite playing one extra match.
“This win tastes good, it was a tough gave given what we’re coming off of, Osasuna put in a lot of intensity and the important thing is the three points and to keep adding more,” Pedri told DAZN.
“La Liga is complicated but I’ve seen worse things turn around. We’ll keep trying to add three points out of three and let’s see if those in front slip up.”
After leading Barcelona to La Liga glory last season, Xavi’s team crumbled and in January were thrashed in the Spanish Super Cup final by Real Madrid and knocked out of the Copa del Rey.
Xavi insisted he would fight on to try and win La Liga and the Champions League, hoping his decision would change the team’s dynamic but the first-half performance was as uninspired as any in his two-year tenure.
The coach brought Ferran Torres back into the side after Saturday’s 5-3 defeat by Villarreal, the final straw which saw him announce his future exit.
However the Spaniard limped off after just a few minutes and was replaced by midfielder Fermin Lopez.
Robert Lewandowski headed wide and Jules Kounde nodded over from Ilkay Gundogan corners, before Lopez’s cross-turned-shot was saved by Aitor Fernandez from a tight angle.
Explosive 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, starting his fourth game in 11 days for Barca, swung in a superb cross which Gundogan sent narrowly wide with a flicked header when he should have scored.
It brought the chilly Olympic Stadium to life, with some fans chanting Xavi’s name and the coach sent on Roque.
The 18-year-old, nicknamed Tigrinho — little tiger — was almost immediately on the scoresheet, netting with a smart header at the near post from Cancelo’s superb cross.
Roque’s next involvement was to draw a foul from Garcia, who was dismissed for dragging the striker down.
Barcelona capitalized on the extra space with Yamal stretching the defense and drawing a save from Fernandez, with his follow-up effort blocked too.
Substitute Raul Garcia clipped the post with a low effort after Osasuna snatched the ball back high up, which was as close as Jagoba Arrasate’s side came.
“If this team has anything, it’s faith — we tried until the end, and it’s a shame we didn’t at least get a draw,” said Osasuna coach Arrasate.
Lewandowski curled home a second for Barcelona but it was disallowed for a clear offside and the hosts saw out the final stages to keep their three points.
“I think Vitor puts a lot of speed into the game, he’s got goals, he’ll bring us a lot,” said Pedri.
“He breaks loose constantly and that’s important for the midfielders.”
Later Wednesday fourth-place Atletico Madrid host neighbors Rayo Vallecano in a derby, aiming to move back ahead of Barcelona on goal difference.
Roque fires Barca to narrow win over Osasuna
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Roque fires Barca to narrow win over Osasuna
- Barcelona cut that down to eight with a largely drab win over their mid-table visitors
- Osasuna had defender Unai Garcia sent off for two yellow cards
Barca suffer title defense blow in Girona derby defeat
- Girona ended the game with 10 men when Roca scythed down Yamal to cut short a desperate Barca attack deep in stoppage time
GIRONA, Spain: Spanish champions Barcelona fell to a damaging 2-1 defeat at Girona on Monday to leave them trailing Real Madrid by two points at the top of La Liga.
Los Blancos beat Real Sociedad on Saturday to overtake the Catalans and Hansi Flick’s side could not defeat Girona in an gripping derby clash to reclaim the lead.
Teenage star Lamine Yamal missed a penalty for Barcelona, who took the lead through defender Pau Cubarsi just before the hour mark.
However goals from Thomas Lemar and Fran Beltran helped Girona, 12th, mount an impressive comeback.
“We have to improve because they can’t score these two goals against us,” Cubarsi told DAZN.
“We have to be self-critical, we didn’t play a great game, we have to improve, but now we have to rest and charge our batteries.”
Both sides were attacking with abandon in the first half and it was remarkable they went in goalless at the break.
Raphinha whipped a shot narrowly wide and Yamal fired straight at Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga when through on goal.
At the other end Ukrainian striker Vladyslav Vanat missed a slew of presentable opportunities.
Ferran Torres fired a good chance wide for Barca and Raphinha drove against the upright as Flick’s side pushed for the opener.
They should have got it when Dani Olmo was clumsily felled in the box by Daley Blind, but Yamal hit the post from the spot.
Barcelona eventually took the lead through Pau Cubarsi’s header from Jules Kounde’s cross after 59 minutes, but Girona swiftly pulled level.
Thomas Lemar slipped away from Eric Garcia and turned home Vanat’s pass from close range.
It shifted the momentum in Girona’s favor and Barca were left relying on some stunning saves from goalkeeper Joan Garcia to keep them afloat.
The stopper denied Ivan Martin and Vanat with a remarkable double save, and then thwarted Joel Roca with his leg.
Barca could not stem the tide and Girona forced their way in front after 87 minutes, with Fran Beltran stroking home from the edge of the area.
The visitors, who last week made an official complaint to the Spanish football federation over perceived refereeing inconsistencies, were left fuming after Kounde was fouled by Claudio Echeverri in the build-up and it went unpunished.
Girona ended the game with 10 men when Roca scythed down Yamal to cut short a desperate Barca attack deep in stoppage time.
It did the job and the hosts celebrated wildly at the end with their jubilant fans at Montilivi, as Flick demanded explanations from the referee.
“It seemed like a foul (on Kounde) to me, but we shouldn’t focus on decisions we can’t control,” said Barca defender Gerard Martin.
