MADRID: Barcelona’s Xavi crashed a shot into the top corner three minutes from the end and Lionel Messi forced a stoppage-time own goal as the hosts overcame stubborn Granada 2-0 to maintain their perfect La Liga start on Saturday night.
Lowly Granada were organized and dangerous on the break and it was only after Victor Valdes had saved a one-on-one with Fabian Orellana in the 86th minute that Barca finally found a way past inspired visiting goalkeeper Tono.
Xavi cracked a shot in off the underside of the bar in the 87th and Messi’s persistence saw him squirm into the area and strike a low cross that was turned into his own net by Borja Gomez in time added on.
Barca moved on to 15 points from five games, opening an 11-point gap over champions Real Madrid who visit city rivals Rayo Vallecano on Sunday looking for their first away win this term.
“Every victory is important. Maybe we struggled more than on other days but we have to know how to get through these games,” Barca fullback Dani Alves told Spanish television.
“It wasn’t that we didn’t play well, a lot of credit must go to our rivals. Their keeper has been superb and I have to congratulate him.” Barca coach Tito Vilanova opted to play midfielders Alex Song and Javier Mascherano at center back with Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol injured and the defense looked shaky at times.
With Andres Iniesta also injured and Xavi on the bench, Barca were not as fluid as usual and it was only after Xavi came on in the second half that they really got into their stride.
The pressure grew on the visitors’ goal with Messi, Cesc Fabregas and David Villa, on his first start since breaking his leg last December, all going close.
Tono’s work load was increasing when Granada’s Orellana broke free to be denied by Valdes, and soon after Xavi struck the opener from the edge of the area.
Messi, who seemed bad-tempered and argumentative throughout, forced the second goal in a breathless last few minutes.
Real Betis rose to third with nine points after a thumping Paulao header earned a 1-0 home win over misfiring Espanyol.
The Brazilian defender connected with a free-kick after 18 minutes but his side failed to make the most of a second yellow card for Espanyol’s Wakaso Mubarak in the 68th, and endured some worrying moments before securing the victory.
South Korea striker Park Chu-young scored with his first touch on his home debut for promoted Celta Vigo, leading them to a 2-1 victory over Getafe.
Park, who helped his country win bronze at the Olympic Games in London and joined Celta on loan from Arsenal on transfer deadline day three weeks ago, volleyed home in the 68th minute.
Celta had taken the lead in the 57th with a breakaway goal from Augusto Fernandez, only for Abdelaziz Barrada to level almost immediately after a well-worked move.
Park, who netted two minutes after coming off the bench, had the chance to score a second near the end but he pulled his shot wide with only the keeper to beat.
Celta’s second win put them ninth in the standings with six points from five games, two places ahead of Real Zaragoza, who won 3-1 at home to bottom side Osasuna.
Osasuna finished seventh last season but have only taken one point from 15 this term and trail Espanyol who also have one point. But they did score the goal of the game at the Romareda with Emiliano Armenteros’s run and shot after 29 minutes.
Barca late show puts pressure on Real Madrid
Barca late show puts pressure on Real Madrid
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.
