Barcelona bounce back with last gasp win over Almeria

Barcelona bounced back to the winning column in La Liga on Wednesday night, clinching a hard-fought 3-2 triumph over the struggling Almeria. The match witnessed the defending champions being pulled back twice by the league’s lowest-ranked team before Sergi Roberto emerged as the hero with an 83rd-minute goal, securing the crucial three points.

The home team seemed destined to prolong their winless streak as Almeria capitalized on defensive errors to nullify Barcelona’s leads. Raphinha opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark, taking advantage of Ronald Araujo’s deflected shot. However, Leo Baptistao leveled the score four minutes before halftime following a defensive mix-up in the Barcelona ranks.

The déjà vu continued in the second half when Roberto headed home a second goal around the hour mark, only for Edgar Gonzalez to exploit an Inaki Pena mistake, equalizing at 2-2. Nevertheless, Robert Lewandowski orchestrated a precise through ball, setting up Roberto to net the decisive goal with seven minutes left on the clock.

This victory marked a crucial three points for Barcelona’s manager, Xavi Hernandez, following a three-game winless streak in all competitions. The outcome propels his team back within four points of second-placed Real Madrid, intensifying the competition in what promises to be a closely contested title race for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Having faced a formidable challenge from the league’s bottom team, Xavi is expected to demand improved performances from his star players post the winter break. For now, Barcelona can breathe a sigh of relief, grateful that Roberto’s heroics spared them from dropping more valuable points.