Barcelona slipped up in the title scamper on Saturday by drawing 2-2 away at Celta Vigo. (AFP Describe/Pau BARRENA)
Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona’s title hopes suffered a hammer blow on Saturday as they were held to a 2-2 blueprint by Celta Vigo, handing Exact Madrid the chance to cross two factors clear at the tip of La Liga.
Luis Suarez twice attach his team in front at Balaidos with his first targets since January however Iago Aspas zigzag in a behind free-kick to invent Celta a blueprint, in what might presumably perchance well trace a pivotal 2nd in the title scamper.
Barca face an very fair appropriate tougher test on Tuesday against in-beget Atletico Madrid, who held off a behind fightback from Alaves to make a selection out 2-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atletico are third, now four factors clear of Sevilla.
Sooner than then, Zinedine Zidane’s Exact Madrid facet will hope to make a selection out a colossal step against turning into champions by a hit away at bottom membership Espanyol on Sunday.
Madrid personal the superior head-to-head against Barcelona and maintain won four out of 4 since La Liga restarted earlier this month. With a kinder scoot-in than the Catalans, the trophy appears to be like to be to be Madrid’s to lose.
“The sensation is a detrimental one,” said Suarez afterwards. “If we desire to entire in the title scamper and maintain it in our arms we maintain to make a selection out all our games. But we maintain to rely on Madrid to drop factors.”
Suarez performed his most efficient sport since undergoing knee surgical treatment in January, his first goal coming from a surprise free-kick from Lionel Messi, who crossed when each person expected him to shoot.
Yet Barcelona’s defensive frailties hurt them again and Celta might presumably perchance quiet even maintain won it in hurt-time, factual for Nolito to miss a golden likelihood at the wait on put up.
Celta climb to 16th, eight factors clear of the bottom three.
Quique Setien answered calls to commence 20-One year-faded Riqui Puig and 17-One year-faded Ansu Fati, and the duo impressed, injecting energy and bustle into Barca’s attack.
Antoine Griezmann used to be left on the bench and when he got here on, he used to be on the facet of the wall that Aspas breached with his free-kick to search out the bottom corner.
Messi used to be at the center of every thing going ahead and it used to be his early corner that Gerard Pique headed against the crossbar.
With a free-kick on the edge of the space in the 20th minue and a 700th profession goal in witness, Messi sized up the sprawl of Celta defenders in front of him.
But with each person ready for a shot, Messi clipped a spoiled against the put up, where Suarez headed in.
Messi even tried to catch from a corner however Celta had potentialities too on the fracture. A sorrowful clearance from Marc-Andre ter Stegen went unpunished by Fedor Smolov, who then overhit his cross when Aspas used to be clear. Brais Mendez slid through and hit the put up.
The warnings went unheeded and when Arturo Vidal performed a clumsy cross early in the 2nd half of, Celta capitalised.
Aspas sent Okay Yokuslu sprinting in in the wait on of and he squared for Smolov to faucet in.
Celta see invigorated however Barca landed a sucker-punch. Denis Suarez misplaced possession under stress from Fati, Messi performed into Luis Suarez, who backed in, became and drove into the far corner.
It seemed treasure they had weathered the storm however Celta hit wait on again, Aspas curling across the facet of the wall and into the corner with two minutes left.
They’ll quiet even maintain won it in hurt-time as Denis Suarez teed up Nolito at the wait on put up however a scuffed attain let Ter Stegen put on the street.
Atletico held on to beat Alaves as Joselu gave the guests hope by changing an hurt-time penalty after Saul Niguez’s header and Diego Costa’s utter-kick had attach Diego Simeone’s facet in support watch over.
Victory ability Atletico maintain taken 13 from a conceivable 15 factors for the reason that resumption and sooner than their day out to Camp Nou on Tuesday.
