Tag: BARCELONA

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COPA DEL REY: GRIEZMANN DOUBLE INSPIRES BARCA COME BACK VICTORY AGAINST GRANADA.

Antoine Griezmann led Barcelona back from the brink on Wednesday as the Catalans beat Granada 5-3 after extra-time to win a riveting cup tie and reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Barca looked set to crash out at Los Carmenes when Granada led 2-0 with two minutes of normal time remaining but Griezmann scored one goal in the 88th minute and then set up Jordi Alba for a dramatic equaliser in the 92nd. Griezmann headed his team in front in extra-time only for Granada’s Fede Vico to make it 3-3 with a penalty.

Yet Frenkie de Jong’s finish and a thumping volley from Alba, also set up by Griezmann, sent a relieved Barcelona through.

“It was a brilliant, beautiful cup tie,” said Griezmann.

Ronald Koeman admitted the Copa del Rey is his team’s “shortest route” to a trophy this season and with Atletico Madrid 10 points clear in La Liga and Paris Saint-Germain to come in the Champions League, it may prove their only route too.

Granada, though, came within a whisker of another huge upset as goals from Robert Kenedy and Roberto Soldado put them in sight of the last four.

Instead, Koeman’s side rallied, with Lionel Messi the architect and Griezmann delivering surely his best performance since he joined Barcelona from Atletico 18 months ago.

It is the kind of performance that could prove a starting point for Koeman’s team.

A match and a result like this will feed our spirit and our strength,” said Koeman. “These are moments that can be very important in a season.”

Griezmann now has six goals and seven assists in his last nine games.

Now I need consistency,” said Griezmann. “I’ve felt good since January and I want to keep it going until the end of the season. I feel like I have the confidence of my coach and my teammates.”

Barca’s reward is a place in the semis and they will be heavy favourites after early exits for Atletico and Real Madrid.

They join Sevilla, who beat Almeria on Tuesday, and Levante, who also came through after extra-time for a surprise 1-0 win against Villarreal.

Real Betis or Athletic Bilbao play on Thursday for the last spot.

Samuel Umtiti was at fault for Granada’s opening two goals, first robbed by Alberto Soro, who fired a quick pass across for Kenedy to score, and then outrun by Soldado, who finished into the corner.

Sergi Roberto went off with what looked like a hamstring strain and Barca searched for a way back.

Francisco Trincao and Messi both hit the woodwork while Griezmann drew a smart save from goalkeeper Aaron Escandell with a bicycle kick.

Finally the pressure told in the 88th minute, Griezmann sliding onto Messi’s curled pass to the back post and catching it on the bounce, the ball cannoning off the goalkeeper and in.

Granada had four minutes of added time to survive and they held out for only two, a carbon-copy pass from Messi finding Griezmann in the same spot, this time the striker heading across for Alba to nod in.

Luis Suarez could still have won it for Granada in normal time but drove wide when sent clear and it looked like Barca had it wrapped up when Griezmann scored again in extra-time, heading in Alba’s cross from the left.

Granada struck back almost immediately, though, Sergino Dest knocking over Carlos Neva in the box and Fede Vico converting the penalty, only for Barcelona to find a fourth. Messi’s shot was parried out for De Jong to poach the rebound.

Granada were on the ropes and a fifth proved the knock-out blow. Griezmann swept a superb pass out to Alba, who nonchalantly volleyed in for perhaps the best goal of a thrilling night.

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MESSI, GRIEZMANN NET BRACES IN BARCA BIG WIN AT GRANADA.

Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann each bagged two goals as Barcelona eased to a comfortable 4-0 victory at Granada on Saturday.

Griezmann ended his goal drought of nine matches in all competitions as Barca closed the gap on the Madrid clubs at the top of the table.

Granada almost scored the opener inside the first two minutes but Marc-Andre ter Stegen produced a superb save from Antonio Puertas.

Barca took the lead after 12 minutes when Griezmann reacted quickest inside the box and finished into the bottom corner.

Griezmann then turned provider when he set up Messi who curled the ball into the top corner.

Messi scored his second just before half-time with a stunning free-kick. The Barca captain has now scored 10 goals or more in La Liga for the 15th consecutive campaign.

Griezmann grabbed his second of the match after 63 minutes with a half-volley from a tight angle.

Granada went down to 10 men after Jesus Vallejo was dismissed for a professional foul on Martin Braithwaite.

“Before I could barely score one goal but right now it looks like things are going pretty well,” Griezmann said postmatch.

Ronald Koeman’s side sit four points off league leaders Atletico Madrid after their match against Athletic Bilbao was postponed due to disruptions from a rare snowstorm.

“This is an important win, we knew we were in a difficult situation and couldn’t afford to lose any more games and it’s been a very good week for us, winning three games, all away from home, and while playing some very good football,” Koeman said after the match.

“We showed that the team is growing in quality and in confidence. I’m very pleased that we scored four goals and we need to keep playing like we did today, when we only needed a few chances to score.”

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MESSI’S DOUBLE HELP BARCA EDGE BILBAO 3-2 AS SPANISH GIANT RENEW HOPES FOR TITLE RACE

Ronald Koeman said Barcelona can still win La Liga after Lionel Messi scored twice on Wednesday in a 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao. Messi’s double helped Barca reduce the gap behind La Liga’s leaders Atletico Madrid to seven points, even if Atletico will be hard to catch, given they also have two games in hand. Koeman admitted last week it would be “very difficult” to close the gap but was more optimistic after the victory at San Mames. “There is always a chance,” he said. “The season is very long and you can have ups and downs. It may be that one team that is doing very well will later find it difficult.”

Barca trailed to an early Inaki Williams strike but responded with a slick attacking performance that had Messi at the heart of it.

It was his cross that led to Pedri’s equaliser and then the Argentinian could have had a hat-trick, only for VAR and the woodwork to intervene.

But this was a vintage display from the 33-year-old, perhaps his best of the season so far, at a time when his future at Barcelona remains up in the air.

Only a late mistake took some of the shine off Messi’s night, a poor pass allowing Iker Muniain to finish and make the result look closer than it was.

Bilbao had scored in the third minute and the 90th, each time exposing Barcelona’s defensive frailties that remain unsolved.

Yet in between, Koeman’s team were able to dictate the match and demonstrate why going forward they are still a force to be reckoned with.

“The team is growing, playing with more confidence,” said Koeman. “Sometimes we look close to our best.”

Pedri was excellent again, his sumptuous backheel for Messi’s first goal another indication of the 18-year-old’s talent and his understanding with his captain.

Ousmane Dembele, meanwhile, enjoyed one of those virtuouso nights where his speed, invention and confidence made him look every bit like one of the world’s most exciting players.

Everything starts with the player himself,” said Koeman. “He gives us a lot.”

Bilbao were playing their first game under new coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, who led Valencia to win the last completed Copa del Rey by beating Barca in the final.

He was springing off the bench and clenching his fists in the third minute after Williams raced in behind, touching inside the scrambling Clement Lenglet before driving home.

But Barcelona were invigorated.

Sergino Dest should have scored after a neat exchange between Messi and Antoine Griezmann before Pedri did, Messi’s looping cross to the back post cushioned back across for Pedri to nod in.

Dembele was almost unplayable, drifting inside one minute and darting forward the next but it was Pedri’s vision that created Barca’s second.

Messi sent him through, the youngster cutting inside before seeing Messi behind him.

Pedri backheeled, wrongfooting the Bilbao defence and goalkeeper, with Messi sliding in the finish.

Griezmann was denied after more good work by Dembele while Messi had a goal ruled out and then nicked the crossbar with a curling effort from distance.

Bilbao were still in it and might have equalised early in the second half, with the lively Williams and Raul Garcia both going close.

Yet their hopes were dashed just after the hour when Messi struck again. He sent the ball wide to Griezmann via Pedri and when the pass came to the near post Messi was there to stroke in off the crossbar.

Messi could have had his hat-trick but hit the post again when Dembele’s cross was dummied by Griezmann before a misplaced Messi pass allowed Muniain to pull one back for Bilbao. It was Messi’s first mistake of the night.

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MESSI WATCH FROM THE STANDS AS BARCELONA FAIL TO SHINE AGAIN IN EIBAR DRAW.

Barcelona were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw with Eibar in La Liga on Tuesday as Lionel Messi watched from the stands at the Camp Nou.

Ronald Koeman’s side went into the game without the services of Messi, who was granted an extended holiday break by the Dutch manager earlier in the week to deal with an ankle issue.

Barca had the chance to take the lead inside of 15 minutes after VAR awarded them a penalty, but Martin Braithwaite skewed his spot kick wide of the goal and match remained scoreless.

The hosts dominated possession, but it was Eibar that had the better of the chances as Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made two solid saves to keep the scoreline at 0-0 going into half-time.

Barcelona came firing out of the gates in the second half, with an enlivened attack leading to a pair of near misses from Ousmane Dembele and Miralem Pjanic in the opening five minutes after the restart.

Despite the strong start, it was Eibar who would score first when Kike dispossessed Ronald Araujo and calmly slotted past Ter Stegen to stake the visitors to the lead just before the hour mark.

Dembele made amends for an earlier miss to draw Barca level when he chipped Eibar’s Marko Dmitrovic from a fine run and assist by Junior Firpo.

Koeman said: “We deserved to win, we did enough. They had one shot on target. We made chances, but we didn’t score the penalty and then we make a mistake in defence.

“We did well, we worked hard and did enough to win but this is happening to us a lot. In the first half, we had problems bringing the ball out from the back, we didn’t fine players between the lines.

“Maybe it was the fear of taking the risk. But once again, a game where we create a lot but don’t take our chances.”

Philippe Coutinho limped off in the closing minutes with an apparent injury as Barca pushed for the winner, but none came as Eibar picked up their first point at the Camp Nou in the seven matches they’ve played there.

Following the match, the 21-year-old Araujo took full responsibility for his costly error.

It’s a mistake from me, one I can’t afford to make,” Araujo told reporters. “It was a lack of concentration from me and these are mistakes we cannot afford to make.

“Today it was my personal mistake, I’m old enough to know how big a responsibility it is to play for Barcelona.

“It’s a shame for us we weren’t able to get the three points as we needed and wanted them.”

The draw means Barca have dropped nine out of 27 possible points at home this season and are now in sixth in the standings on 25 points from 15 games, seven behind Liga leaders Atletico Madrid who have two games in hand.

And Koeman admitted after the match, winning La Liga would be a massive challenge.

“If I am realistic, winning the league is really complicated,” Koeman said. “Nothing is impossible, but we have to recognise the distance between us and the leaders. Atletico look really good to me, strong, not conceding many goals”

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MESSI OVERTAKES PELE’S RECORD FOR MOST GOALS FOR ONE CLUB.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has overtaken Brazil legend Pele to become the player to score the most goals for a single club after taking his tally to 644 on Tuesday.

The record-breaking goal came in the second half of Barca’s 3-0 win at Valladolid, with Messi taking the ball in stride off a nifty flick from Pedri for a finish into the corner of the net.

Pele struck 643 competitive goals for Santos during an 18-year stay with the Brazilian club. He left for the New York Cosmos in 1975 and until Messi’s goal, the record had stood ever since.

Gerd Muller came closest to matching Pele’s one-club goal-scoring feat. The former Germany international netted 565 times for Bayern Munich between 1964 and 1979. The top five is completed by Fernando Peyroteo (Sporting CP 1937-49, 544 goals) and Josef Bican (Slavia Prague 1950s, 534 goals).

“When I started to play football, I never thought I would break any record. Especially not the record held by Pele that I now hold,” Messi wrote on Instagram after Tuesday’s game. “I can only give thanks to everyone that has helped me throughout the years, my teammates, my family, my friends and everyone that supports me every day.”

The only other active player still in the top 10 is Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 450 goals for Real Madrid. The Juventus striker is 10th behind Jimmy McGrory (Celtic 1922-37, 522 goals), Jimmy Jones (Glenavon 1951-62, 517 goals), Uwe Seeler (Hamburg 1953-72, 507 goals) and Eusebio (Benfica 1961-75, 473 goals).

Messi’s Barcelona goals have been spread across 16 years in the club’s first team. He scored his first professional goal in 2005 against Albacete as a 17-year-old.

Along with Ronaldo, who played for Manchester United before Madrid and Juve, Messi has taken goal scoring to new heights over the past decade. Everyone else in the top 10 has been retired for at least 40 years.

Messi reached his zenith in the 2011-12 season, Pep Guardiola’s final year in charge of Barcelona, when he scored 73 goals in all competitions. That tally was sandwiched in between 53 the previous season and 60 the season after.

The Argentina forward has scored more than 50 goals in a season on six occasions, including 58 in 2014-15 when he won his second Treble as a Barca player.

However, it looked like Pele’s record would be left to stand this past summer when Messi pushed for a move away from Barcelona after 20 years in Catalonia.

Messi believed a clause in his contract, which expires in 2021, allowed him to leave for free but eventually backed down when it became apparent the only way to try to invoke the clause would have involved a legal battle with the club.

If he had left, he would have done so having scored 634 goals for Barca’s first team.

Instead, he ended up staying for at least one more season, which has allowed him to pass Pele’s one-club record and continue making history.

Messi replaced Cesar Rodriguez (232 goals) as Barca’s top scorer in 2012 and overtook Telmo Zarra (251 league goals) as the record scorer in La Liga in 2014.

In addition to his 644 goals with Barca’s senior side, he scored 11 goals for the C team and the B team as a teenager.

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Messi surpasses Pele milestone

Messi, who helped Barcelona win 3-0 at Valladolid, had equaled Pelé’s all-time scoring tally on Saturday. His 643rd career goal for Barcelona since his 2004 debut matched Pelé’s tally for Santos from 1957-74.

Lionel Messi broke Pelé’s all-time scoring milestone for their clubs by netting his 644th career goal for Barcelona on Tuesday, while Atlético Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2-0 to increase its lead of the Spanish league.

Messi, who helped Barcelona win 3-0 at Valladolid, had equaled Pelé’s all-time scoring tally on Saturday. His 643rd career goal for Barcelona since his 2004 debut matched Pelé’s tally for Santos from 1957-74.

For his 644th — Barcelona’s third of the night — Messi had help from 18-year-old Pedro “Pedri” González.

After receiving the ball near the edge of the area, Pedri deftly rolled his boot over the ball to push it behind him to meet the Argentine’s run. The slick pass left Messi clear to finally beat goalie Jordi Masip, who had denied with twice.

“When I began playing, I never thought I would break any record, much less the one I have surpassed today that belonged to Pelé,” Messi wrote on Instagram. “I only want to give my thanks to all those who have helped me all these years, my teammates, my family, my friends and those who support me every day.”

In a meeting between the front-runner and the sensation of the league this season, Atlético put on another dominant performance to show why it is the early title favorite.

Diego Simeone’s team took full advantage of its best scoring opportunities and its defense remained airtight from start to finish.

Mario Hermoso headed in a free kick by Yannick Carrasco to put the visitors at San Sebastián ahead four minutes after halftime. Marcos Llorente put the result beyond doubt in the 74th with a powerful strike from the edge of the area.

Atlético moved three points clear of second-place Real Madrid. Sociedad was left in third place at six points adrift. The Basque Country club had led the league earlier this season but has now gone six rounds without a victory.

Barcelona stayed in fifth place at eight points behind Atlético.

Atlético has one more game to play than both Madrid and Barcelona and three more games to play than Sociedad.

MESSI & PEDRI

Messi scored his team’s final goal at Valladolid as Barcelona excelled in an experimental lineup by coach Ronald Koeman.

Koeman has tried several different lineups since he took over Barcelona last summer with the mission to fix a team that had hit rock bottom in a historic 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich.

After seeing his side not win away from home in four games, Koeman opted for his most profound makeover at Valladolid. He deployed a defense of three center backs and kept Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho — the club’s star signings in recent seasons — and midfield leader Sergio Busquets on the bench.

That left Martin Braithwaite alone to spear the attack behind two playmakers in Messi and Pedri. The scheme also allowed Sergiño Dest to attack deeper on the right flank.

“(The win) shows that we have a strong squad, where there is a lot of competition for playing time,” Koeman said. “It proves that, with a calendar packed with games, we can rest some players. We got this win by playing good football. The team was focused from the start.”

Messi lobbed a pass forward for Clement Lenglet to head in for the 21st-minute opener. Messi then played the ball wide to Dest, who squared it low for Braithwaite to tap home in the 35th.

The connection between Pedri and Messi clicked throughout, but it shone in the 65th when the teenager set up the veteran.

Messi also hit the post in stoppage time.

DEFENSE FIRST

Atlético was without João Félix due to a throat infection. It made up for the absence of its most dynamic forward by applying a suffocating defense to nullify Sociedad’s normally fluid attack.

Sociedad had David Silva back after he recovered from a muscle injury that had sidelined him for three consecutive matches.

Silva’s return was not enough, however, to break through the visitors’ defensive block that left Jan Oblak with very little work. The Slovenian goalkeeper didn’t have to make a save until the 83rd when he stretched to parry a free kick by Martín Merquelanz.

Oblak has conceded only five goals in 13 league games.

Hermoso had struggled to break into Atlético’s starting 11 last season, but he has earned a spot on the left side of the three-man defense Simeone has used at times this campaign. The goal was his second of the season.

After Hermoso’s opener, Atlético pushed for a second goal with Carrasco twice threatening with his crosses from the left flank. Another attack down the left led to Luis Suárez receiving the ball deep in the box. His pass intended for Carrasco was deflected by a defender into the path of Llorente, who blasted it home.

“We knew how important this game was, and what it meant to win it, while also keeping a clean sheet,” Hermoso said. “It doesn’t matter who is playing, we are all about effort and hard work.”

OTHER RESULTS

Villarreal held onto fourth place despite a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao.

A late strike from long distance by Jesús “Suso” Fernández gave Sevilla a 1-0 win at Valencia.

Osasuna stayed in last place after twice giving up leads in a 2-2 draw at Elche.

Huesca likewise stayed in the relegation zone after a 1-1 draw with Levante.

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UCL DRAW: BARCA FACE PSG, CHAMPIONS BAYERN DRAW LAZIO IN ROUND OF 16 FIXTURES.

Barcelona were drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the standout tie of the Champions League round of 16, which took place on Monday at 11 a.m. GMT

The clash means that, if fit, Neymar will return to Camp Nou. The last time these teams met in the competition produced one of the most memorable matches in Champions League history as Barca — inspired by Neymar — won the round-of-16 second-leg clash 6-1 to recover from a 4-0 first-leg defeat. Neymar left in the summer of 2017, and this will be his first return.

Cristiano Ronaldo will make a return to Portugal as Juventus were drawn with Porto — a side he has mixed memories of playing against in the competition.

In 2004, his Manchester United side were eliminated by Porto after a draw at Old Trafford, which sparked Jose Mourinho’s famous run down the Old Trafford touchline. However, five years later, Ronaldo scored a stunning goal that decided their quarterfinal clash, and he was awarded the Puskas Award for it.

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will face Diego Simeone as his side were paired with Atletico Madrid in a repeat of the 2014 semifinal.

Holders Bayern Munich were drawn against Lazio, who were unbeaten in the group phase and qualified for the knockout stages for the first time in 20 years, while Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp returns to Germany to face RB Leipzig.

Manchester City were drawn against Borussia Monchengladbach, while Real Madrid will face Atalanta. Europa League winners Sevilla were paired against Borussia Dortmund. The two-legged ties will be played starting Feb. 16.

Full draw
Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Manchester City

Lazio vs. Bayern Munich

Atletico Madrid vs. Chelsea

RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool

Porto vs. Juventus

Barcelona vs. Paris Saint-Germain

Sevilla vs. Borussia Dortmund

Atalanta vs. Real Madrid

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LA LIGA: BARCELONA SLUMP TO SHOCKING DEFEAT AT CADIZ.

Barcelona conceded two embarrassing goals as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat away to Cadiz in La Liga on Saturday.

The Catalans fell behind in the eighth minute when centre back Oscar Mingueza headed the ball towards his own goal and although keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen got a hand to the ball, Cadiz forward Alvaro Gimenez helped it over the line.

Barca drew level with a fortuitous goal of their own in the 57th when Cadiz defender Pedro Alcala diverted a Jordi Alba cross into the net, flummoxing his impressive goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma who had been keeping Barca at bay.

Cadiz restored their lead six minutes later, however, when Alvaro Negredo capitalised on a calamitous mix-up between Barca defenders Alba and Clement Lenglet following a throw-in.

Alba aimed the throw towards Lenglet but the Frenchman could not control the ball and Negredo, on the pitch for less than a minute, ran to press Ter Stegen, blocked his kick out and dribbled the ball past the diving Frenkie de Jong and into the unguarded net.

Barca’s fourth defeat of the season left them seventh in the standings on 14 points after 10 games, 12 points behind leaders Atletico, and Ronald Koeman’s side have failed to win their last four away matches.

The Dutch coach criticised the attitude of his players.

“It’s incredible that we lost because of a goal like that, it’s an error you do not expect this team to make. It shows we were not concentrating,” he said.

“The attitude was not good tonight. I’m very disappointed.”

Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets said individual errors had cost them a lot of points this season.

“You cannot question the team’s attitude or commitment, but when you start like we did today it makes the game very difficult,” he said.

Cadiz, who recorded their first home win since returning to the top flight, moved above them into fifth place on 18 points. The Andalusians also beat champions Real Madrid 1-0 away from home earlier in the campaign.

Barca captain Lionel Messi had a frustrating night despite being rested for the Champions League win at Ferencvaros in midweek and was repeatedly thwarted by fellow Argentine and Rosario native Ledesma in the Cadiz goal.

Ledesma also kept out a stinging shot from Miralem Pjanic late on and a close-range effort from Antoine Griezmann.

Cadiz should have put the game out of Barca’s reach when Bobby Adekanye raced towards goal unchallenged but failed to beat Ter Stegen.

However, their defence stood tall and they pulled off another huge win in their first season back in the top flight for 14 years.

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LOSS TO CADIZ IS HUGE SET BACK – KOEMAN

Ronald Koeman says Barcelona were not good enough as their title ambitions took a “huge step back” in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat away at Cadiz.

Goals from Alvaro Gimenez and Alvaro Negredo sentenced Barca to their fourth defeat of the season and their worst start to a campaign since 1987-88.

With just 14 points from their opening 10 games, the Blaugrana are already 12 behind leaders Atletico Madrid, who beat Real Valladolid 2-0 earlier on Saturday.

It’s a huge step back in terms of winning La Liga,” Koeman lamented in his postmatch news conference. “It’s disappointing but we must accept it, even though being 12 points back from a strong team like Atletico is a lot.

“The result today is difficult to explain. We concede the first goal and weren’t good in attack, with too many players in the middle of the pitch.

“That’s not the level I expect from my team. We must improve. We must be more focused. In general, the attitude without the ball was not good.”

Cadiz went ahead in the eighth minute when Gimenez bundled the ball over the line after Marc-Andre ter Stegen had saved Barca defender Oscar Mingueza’s poor header.

Pedro Alcala’s own goal drew Barca level in the second half, but Cadiz restored their lead through Negredo five minutes later after Clement Lenglet’s error from Jordi Alba’s throw in.

“Our throw-in ends up in a goal for them,” added an angry Koeman. “It’s our mistake. It’s incredible and you don’t expect it from our team. You cannot concede a goal like that.

“I think it’s a lack of concentration. We lack aggression without the ball. That could be why. It’s not easy to explain how we concede that second goal. It’s very disappointing.”

Barca have now fallen behind in six of their 10 league games this season and have failed to win any of them, drawing two and losing the other four.

“It’s worrying to lose so many games,” midfielder Sergio Busquets told reporters. “The more we slip up, the further we are away from the top, which is where we want to be.

“I think individual mistakes have cost us a lot of points and we can’t keep giving the opposition that early advantage.

“Once we’re behind, it enables teams to shut up at the back and deny us space. It’s not a question of attitude or commitment, but starting games like this makes it much more difficult.”

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MESSI AND BARCELONA FINED OVER MARADONA JERSEY TRIBUTE.

Lionel Messi and Barcelona have been fined a combined €780 after the player was shown a yellow card for lifting his shirt to pay tribute to the late Diego Maradona following his goal in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Osasuna.

Messi, who was fined €600 while his club were fined €180, paid homage to Maradona by taking off his Barcelona shirt to reveal a Newell’s Old Boys shirt beneath belonging to Maradona.

The Spanish football federation’s competition committee rejected Barca’s protests against the punishment and their suggestion it should be waived as the gesture was a tribute to Maradona.

The committee’s statement said that while it accepted the gesture was a tribute, Article 93 of the disciplinary code states that a player should be punished for removing their shirt when celebrating, irrespective of the motive.

The statement added that Messi could only have had the sanction waived if he had been given the booking in error. Messi’s booking pushes him one game closer to a ban.

Messi is a supporter of Newell’s Old Boys having played for the club’s junior team before leaving for Barca aged 13.

He had also paid tribute to Maradona, who played for the Rosario based side in 1993, when the World Cup winner died last Wednesday.

“He has left us but he isn’t going anywhere because Diego is eternal,” Messi wrote on Instagram.

Meanwhile, Newell’s Old Boys said on Wednesday they’ve begun to sell replicas of that jersey after receiving “hundreds of inquiries” about it.

“Leo Messi … decided to remember and pay homage to a genius of global football … in a show of love and respect to one of the greatest in history,” the Rosario club stated.