Xavi Hernandez’s team continues its unbeaten streak, reaching 11 games, following his announcement of departure at the season’s end. This resurgence offers Barcelona a glimmer of hope for the title.
Barcelona edged closer to Real Madrid in La Liga standings with a 1-0 victory over a 10-man Las Palmas. Raphinha’s goal and an early red card for Las Palmas’ goalkeeper marked the win, setting Barcelona up for their upcoming Champions League clash with PSG. Under Xavi Hernandez, Barcelona remains unbeaten in 11 matches, keeping their title hopes alive despite the coach’s announced departure at season’s end.
Missed Opportunities and Tight Race for the Title
Barcelona’s head coach, Xavi, lamented the team’s missed chances in a recent match, stating, “We could have scored more, we had many opportunities to secure the victory early on.” He added, “This has been the narrative of our season, struggling to clinch matches.”
Looking ahead, Real Madrid is set to compete against Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, with the goal of extending their lead over Barcelona to eight points.
Raphinha, speaking to Movistar, emphasized the significance of the upcoming matches: “These three points are crucial. We understand their importance towards the season’s end. We’ll continue to compete fiercely and won’t concede until the league concludes.”
Barcelona showcased dominance early in their game against Las Palmas, with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha having goals disallowed for offsides. Lewandowski also hit the bar, while Xavi’s team maintained pressure, despite a counter-threat from ex-Barca player Sandro Ramirez.
The match saw Las Palmas’s goalkeeper Valles receiving a red card 24 minutes in for a collision with Raphinha. Despite further attempts from Lewandowski and Raphinha, including a bar strike and a close miss respectively, Barcelona persisted in their attempts to break the deadlock.
Barcelona’s Tactical Shift and Key Moments
Reduced to 10 players, Las Palmas adopted a defensive approach in an effort to stifle Barcelona’s offensive play. Despite this strategy, they nearly scored when defender Saul Coco delivered a powerful free-kick that hit the side of the net.
Marvin Park, a winger from Real Madrid playing for Las Palmas on loan, compelled Barcelona’s goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, to make a brilliant save shortly before Barcelona scored.
Entering the game as a substitute, Joao Felix made a remarkable impact with a beautifully lobbed pass that Raphinha headed in for his fifth goal in La Liga this season. Raphinha’s celebration mockingly referenced a previous goal that was nullified, drawing a VAR review symbol.
Later, Felix missed an opportunity to extend Barcelona’s lead, hitting the crossbar in a moment that seemed more suited for a goal. Barcelona’s coach, Xavi, praised Felix, emphasizing his significance to the team despite discussions about his starting role, acknowledging his contribution to the game.
Key Moments and Controversies
In a notable return to the field, Ferran Torres came back from his hamstring injury, replacing the young talent Lamine Yamal in the last stages of the match. Yamal, despite his recent standout performance for Spain, had a quieter game this time around.
In a separate event, Robert Lewandowski found himself on the receiving end of a yellow card for delaying his exit from the pitch during a substitution for Vitor Roque. This booking means he will be absent for Barcelona’s upcoming league match against Cadiz, though he will be back for the critical Clasico showdown with Real Madrid scheduled for April 21.
The football day earlier saw Sevilla secure a 1-0 victory over Getafe, thanks to a goal from Sergio Ramos on his 38th birthday. Meanwhile, Valencia and Real Mallorca ended their encounter in a goalless draw, and Osasuna recorded a convincing 3-0 win against Almeria.
The weekend contests were not devoid of their portion of contention, especially throughout the Sevilla versus Getafe clash, which was tarnished by a racism dispute. Sevilla promulgated a communique condemning the “racist and xenophobic vilification” aimed at their coach Quique Sanchez Flores and defender Marcos Acuna by specific segments of the domicile supporters. The match arbiter, Javier Iglesias Villanueva, recorded in his dossier that the assembly targeted Acuna with racially motivated affronts, precipitating a temporary cessation in the match activities.
These incidents have sparked a broader conversation about racism in sports, underscoring the ongoing challenges that football faces in combating discriminatory behavior.
