Related News
Barca freezes as title slips away in Pamplona
Source: Agencies |
February 13, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BARCELONA'S fading hopes of capturing a fourth consecutive La Liga crown suffered a major setback when it lost 2-3 at Osasuna on Saturday to leave Real Madrid seven points clear at the top with a game in hand.
In freezing conditions in Pamplona, Osasuna striker Dejan Lekic scored twice inside the first 22 minutes and Barcelona, which has struggled on the road all season, waited too long to react.
Spanish World Cup winners Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas started on the bench, and although Alexis Sanchez pulled one back for the visitors in the 52nd minute, Raul Garcia quickly restored Osasuna's advantage.
Barcelona's youth team winger Cristian Tello grabbed a second in the 73rd but a late charge just failed to produce the equalizer.
The world and European champion's second defeat of the season left it on 48 points, seven short of leader Real, which was hosting high-flying Levante at the Santiago Bernabeu yesterday. Jose Mourinho's team has lost only once in its last 25 games discounting its recent matchups with Barcelona.
"The league is much tougher now, and I suppose tomorrow we will see the gap grow even larger, " Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola told reporters.
"If we could play well on this pitch in the second half we should have done so in the first as well. We found it hard to get into the game."
Atletico Madrid climbed to sixth on 31 points despite being held to a 0-0 draw at Racing Santander.
Home goalkeeper Tono was man-of-the-match as he pulled off a string of saves to deny Atletico, which is unbeaten in the six games since Argentine Diego Simeone took the helm and has yet to concede a goal in that time.
Osasuna is seventh also with 31 points, one ahead of Copa del Rey finalist Athletic Bilbao, which suffered a 1-2 reverse at Real Betis in the late game.
Nelson struck a rasping last-minute winner for Betis, which played the last 25 minutes against 10 men after Bilbao defender Javi Martinez, the scorer of the equalizer, was sent off for a second bookable offense.
In freezing conditions in Pamplona, Osasuna striker Dejan Lekic scored twice inside the first 22 minutes and Barcelona, which has struggled on the road all season, waited too long to react.
Spanish World Cup winners Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas started on the bench, and although Alexis Sanchez pulled one back for the visitors in the 52nd minute, Raul Garcia quickly restored Osasuna's advantage.
Barcelona's youth team winger Cristian Tello grabbed a second in the 73rd but a late charge just failed to produce the equalizer.
The world and European champion's second defeat of the season left it on 48 points, seven short of leader Real, which was hosting high-flying Levante at the Santiago Bernabeu yesterday. Jose Mourinho's team has lost only once in its last 25 games discounting its recent matchups with Barcelona.
"The league is much tougher now, and I suppose tomorrow we will see the gap grow even larger, " Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola told reporters.
"If we could play well on this pitch in the second half we should have done so in the first as well. We found it hard to get into the game."
Atletico Madrid climbed to sixth on 31 points despite being held to a 0-0 draw at Racing Santander.
Home goalkeeper Tono was man-of-the-match as he pulled off a string of saves to deny Atletico, which is unbeaten in the six games since Argentine Diego Simeone took the helm and has yet to concede a goal in that time.
Osasuna is seventh also with 31 points, one ahead of Copa del Rey finalist Athletic Bilbao, which suffered a 1-2 reverse at Real Betis in the late game.
Nelson struck a rasping last-minute winner for Betis, which played the last 25 minutes against 10 men after Bilbao defender Javi Martinez, the scorer of the equalizer, was sent off for a second bookable offense.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
