Barca drops points at Espanyol
Source: Agencies |
January 10, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BARCELONA slipped five points behind La Liga leader Real Madrid when Alvaro Vazquez netted a shock late equalizer to snatch a 1-1 draw for Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Sunday.
The champion was looking to improve its patchy away form at its local rival and stay hard on the heels of Real, which thrashed Granada 5-1 on Saturday.
A gritty Espanyol had prepared a different script and the result leaves Barcelona on 38 points from 17 matches, with Real on 43. Valencia is third on 34 after it rallied from two goals down to draw with Villarreal earlier on Sunday.
"The league is not over and I don't think we let a significant part of it slip away tonight," Barca coach Pep Guardiola, whose side is chasing a fourth straight La Liga title, told a news conference.
"We have a very strong rival ahead of us but there are still a lot of very tough stadiums to visit," he added. "All we can do is look at ourselves. Continue doing the things we are doing well and improve those we are not."
Guardiola deployed the team that won 3-1 at Real last month and it looked to be cruising to victory when Cesc Fabregas nodded the side ahead in the 16th minute at a chilly Cornella-El Prat stadium to take his league tally for the season to nine. Espanyol battled hard and did well to restrict the Spanish and European champion to one goal before substitute Vazquez struck with a header four minutes from time.
It was Barcelona's fourth draw in eight away matches this term and it also crashed to a 0-1 reverse at Getafe at the end of the November. By contrast, it has taken 25 points from a possible 27 at its Nou Camp stadium, scoring 39 goals without reply.
Aritz Aduriz came off the bench to snatch a late equalizer for Valencia as it recovered to draw 2-2 at regional rival Villarreal earlier on Sunday.
Goals from Marco Ruben and Gonzalo put Villarreal two up by the 18th minute at the Madrigal before Sofiane Feghouli pulled one back just before the break.
Sevilla's bid for a European qualification berth was dealt a blow when it lost 1-2 at Rayo Vallecano and slipped a point behind sixth-placed Malaga. Athletic Bilbao was held 0-0 at Getafe in the fourth goalless draw of the weekend and improving Real Betis beat Sporting Gijon 2-0 to climb above Atletico into 10th.
The champion was looking to improve its patchy away form at its local rival and stay hard on the heels of Real, which thrashed Granada 5-1 on Saturday.
A gritty Espanyol had prepared a different script and the result leaves Barcelona on 38 points from 17 matches, with Real on 43. Valencia is third on 34 after it rallied from two goals down to draw with Villarreal earlier on Sunday.
"The league is not over and I don't think we let a significant part of it slip away tonight," Barca coach Pep Guardiola, whose side is chasing a fourth straight La Liga title, told a news conference.
"We have a very strong rival ahead of us but there are still a lot of very tough stadiums to visit," he added. "All we can do is look at ourselves. Continue doing the things we are doing well and improve those we are not."
Guardiola deployed the team that won 3-1 at Real last month and it looked to be cruising to victory when Cesc Fabregas nodded the side ahead in the 16th minute at a chilly Cornella-El Prat stadium to take his league tally for the season to nine. Espanyol battled hard and did well to restrict the Spanish and European champion to one goal before substitute Vazquez struck with a header four minutes from time.
It was Barcelona's fourth draw in eight away matches this term and it also crashed to a 0-1 reverse at Getafe at the end of the November. By contrast, it has taken 25 points from a possible 27 at its Nou Camp stadium, scoring 39 goals without reply.
Aritz Aduriz came off the bench to snatch a late equalizer for Valencia as it recovered to draw 2-2 at regional rival Villarreal earlier on Sunday.
Goals from Marco Ruben and Gonzalo put Villarreal two up by the 18th minute at the Madrigal before Sofiane Feghouli pulled one back just before the break.
Sevilla's bid for a European qualification berth was dealt a blow when it lost 1-2 at Rayo Vallecano and slipped a point behind sixth-placed Malaga. Athletic Bilbao was held 0-0 at Getafe in the fourth goalless draw of the weekend and improving Real Betis beat Sporting Gijon 2-0 to climb above Atletico into 10th.
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