with videoFC Barcelona is back in second place in La Liga. Xavi’s team won 2-1 against Real Mallorca, which is still playing against relegation. It was certainly not convincing, but it did not come to a fourth insult in a row at Camp Nou.
Memphis Depay returned to the starting lineup on April 18 after his Achilles injury, but in the home game against low-flyer Cádiz CF (0-1) he and his teammates disappointed that evening. Four days earlier, Eintracht Frankfurt had already won 2-3 in Camp Nou and last Sunday, mid-engine Rayo Vallecano (0-1) also did that. Barcelona lost three home games in a row for the first time in club history.
Tonight Xavi’s team recovered, although it was less convincing than he would have hoped. Memphis Depay scored after 25 minutes after a good deep pass from left back Jordi Alba, after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ronald Araujo had already missed opportunities in the opening phase.
Nine minutes after the break, Sergio Busquets doubled the lead for Barcelona. The 33-year-old midfielder hit with the left for his eighteenth goal in 677 games for the Spanish top club. In the 73rd minute Ferran Torres thought to make it 3-0, but his rebound shot went in via Aubameyang and the Gabon striker was offside. The party was canceled, but a few minutes later the Camp Nou exploded when the wildly popular Ansu Fati came on for Ferran Torres after another long injury.
The last fifteen minutes should have been a party, but it was not for Barcelona. Via Antonio Raillo, Real Mallorca suddenly came back to 2-1 in the 79th minute, making it an exciting final phase. Barcelona held on to that and did good business with the three points in the battle for second place, after Real Madrid became champion of Spain for the 35th time on Saturday evening.
Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay remained standing throughout the match, Luuk de Jong remained on the bench. With four rounds to go, Barcelona are now at 66 points. That is two points more than Sevilla (1-1 against Cadiz on Friday) and five points more than Atlético Madrid, which lost 2-0 on Saturday at Athletic Bilbao.
Memphis is again the only club top scorer at Barcelona this season with twelve goals. He now has a goal more than Aubameyang. Ferran Torres and Luuk de Jong follow with both seven hits, Pedri and Ansu Fati are on five goals and Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong have scored four times this season so far.
In recent weeks, Barcelona will play against Real Betis (away), Celta de Vigo (home), Getafe (away) and Villarreal (home). After that, part of the selection will go to Sydney for some (no doubt lucrative) friendly matches.
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