One extra minute and Espanyol’s 13-year winless streak towards crosstown rival Barcelona within the Spanish league would lastly be over. Sixty extra seconds and its 23-match winless run towards the Spanish powerhouse would lastly come to an finish.
But Espanyol could not cease a purpose by Luuk de Jong within the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, and needed to accept a 2-2 draw Sunday that prolonged its unsuccessful run within the Catalan derby.
The draw got here as a aid for Barcelona however halted its good run after consecutive league victories towards Alavés and defending champion Atlético Madrid.
“It was a step backward in the fight for the league,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández mentioned. “It’s going to be hard, but we have to keep fighting until the end.” The outcome was sufficient to maneuver the Catalan membership previous Atlético and again into fourth place within the ultimate Champions League spot. It is 15 factors behind league chief Real Madrid with a recreation in hand following Madrid’s 0-0 draw at Villarreal on Saturday.
Espanyol, sitting in thirteenth place, hasn’t overwhelmed Barcelona within the league since February 2009. Its final dwelling victory towards its rival was in 2007, although it beat Barcelona in a Copa del Rey match in 2018. Espanyol is winless in its final 5 league video games.
De Jong netted the equalizer with a header from the center of the realm after an extended cross by Adama Traoré as the sport neared its finish.
Barcelona had taken an early lead with Pedri González scoring from shut vary after a cross by Jordi Alba two minutes into the match at RCDE Stadium. The hosts equalized within the fortieth with a shot from outdoors the realm by Sergi Darder.
Barcelona thought it had gone forward when Gavi Páez discovered the online early within the second half, however the purpose was disallowed for offside. It was Espanyol that took the lead about 10 minutes later, with Raúl de Tomás netting the go-ahead purpose after a pleasant lengthy move by Darder.
Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué and Espanyol midfielder Nico Melamed have been despatched off in stoppage time after entering into an altercation.
Barcelona was with out Dani Alves, who served the primary of his two-game suspension for a purple card within the win towards Atlético. He was changed by American Sergiño Dest. Xavi additionally could not rely on ahead Memphis Depay due to an damage.
Ousmane Dembélé got here off the bench within the second half for his first look since not accepting a brand new take care of the membership and rejecting presents to depart within the winter switch window.
Barcelona was making an attempt to win three consecutive league video games for the primary time since April 2021, when it gained six in a row.
Real Betis on the prowl
Real Betis strengthened its maintain on third place within the Spanish league with a 4-2 win at last-place Levante, with Nabil Fekir scoring twice and Edgar González and William Carvalho including a purpose every to safe Manuel Pellegrini’s staff its seventh win in its final 9 matches in all competitions.
The win left Betis seven factors behind metropolis rival Sevilla, which defeated Elche 2-0 on Friday, and 11 behind Madrid. Betis has a four-point hole to fourth-place Atlético, which beat Getafe 4-3 on Saturday. Atlético has a recreation in hand.
Betis is without doubt one of the hottest groups in Spain beneath Pellegrini and continues to be within the Europa League and the Copa del Rey. It gained 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano within the first leg of the Copa semifinals on Wednesday.
“We’ve been playing well from the start of the season,” González mentioned. “Everyone feels important in this squad, that has been the key to keep us alive in three different competitions.” Daniel Gómez scored each targets for Levante, which had striker Roberto Soldado despatched off within the 74th. The membership from Valencia has misplaced six of its final seven league matches, together with three in a row.
Valencia misplaced
Valencia’s winless streak within the league reached six matches after a 2-1 loss at relegation-threatened Alavés.
Joselu’s 76th-minute penalty kick gave the hosts their second win in three matches and left the membership three factors from security.
Mamadou Loum N’Diaye had opened the scoring for Alavés within the 14th earlier than Gonçalo Guedes equalized within the 62nd.
Valencia has misplaced 4 of its final six league matches and dropped to twelfth within the 20-team standings.
Real Sociedad win
Real Sociedad beat Granada 2-0 for its second win in its final 10 league matches. Mikel Oyarzabal and Rafinha scored a purpose in every half to permit the Basque Country staff to maneuver inside some extent of fifth-place Atlético.
Granada has misplaced 4 in a row and is winless in six straight within the league. It is 4 factors above the relegation zone.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
