Almeria beat Barcelona in LaLiga

El Bilal Toure, left, scored the winner for Almeria vs Barcelona. AP

La Liga leaders Barcelona tumbled to an embarrassing 1-0 defeat at Almeria on Sunday, failing to capitalise on Actual Madrid’s derby draw with Atletico to increase their benefit. El Bilal Toure’s nice first half strike cut up the groups and earned Almeria their first ever victory over Barca, inflicting solely the second defeat of the league marketing campaign on the Catalans.

Xavi Hernandez’s facet nonetheless have a seven-point lead over champions Madrid, however their morale took an additional blow following their midweek Europa League exit towards Manchester United.

Barca face Madrid in a Clasico Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on Thursday on the Santiago Bernabeu, with their vulnerabilities beginning to present.

Victory would have stretched their benefit within the title race to double figures, as they bid to win La Liga for the primary time since 2019.

Madrid beat Barcelona within the league in October of their first defeat and Almeria ended Barca’s subsequent 13-game unbeaten league run.

“I’m very offended as a result of I believe we performed our worst recreation of the season,” Xavi informed Movistar.

“Above all within the first half, we couldn’t transfer the ball round, we lacked depth, pace, on a day the place we couldn’t mess up.

“We didn’t present the eagerness (we wanted) to win the sport. Within the second half, sure, however they defended effectively.”

Xavi, already with out injured trio Pedri, Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati, took a threat and rotated closely and his staff paid the value.

The lowly hosts, beginning the sport nineteenth with only one victory of their prior eight league video games, have been on prime and went forward via Toure’s emphatic end.

The Mali worldwide cushioned an extended ball into striker Luis Suarez’s path, earlier than spinning and breaking ahead at tempo.

Suarez lofted a go over Andreas Christensen and Toure ran on to it, lashing an effort previous Marc-Andre ter Stegen and in off the crossbar.

It was solely the eighth league objective Barcelona have conceded this season, stopping Ter Stegen including to his spectacular tally of 17 clear sheets.

‘We’ll calm ourselves’ 

The hosts saved La Liga prime scorer Robert Lewandowski quiet on the different finish, unable to bother Almeria goalkeeper Fernando Martinez.

Defender Araujo, thrown into assault by Xavi in desperation, directed a header inches vast of the far put up however that was as shut as Barcelona got here.

Ter Stegen made a superb save to disclaim Adrian Embarba on the counter and Almeria defended bravely to see out an historic victory.

The goalkeeper stated Barcelona would get better forward of the cup conflict towards Madrid.

“It’s a defeat, it at all times hurts, it by no means arrives at a superb second, however we’ll calm ourselves,” stated Ter Stegen.

“It’s essential to cost our batteries for Thursday. We’re wanting ahead and we’ll obtain what we need to.”

Almeria rose to fifteenth, two factors away from the relegation zone.

“One of the best staff within the league got here to us, they’re first, and we have been able to blocking them, of benefiting from the possibility we had,” Rubi informed Movistar.

Elsewhere Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla twice got here from behind however fell to a 3-2 residence defeat by Osasuna, leaving them 14th and two factors above the relegation zone.

David Garcia headed the guests in entrance within the first half as they dominated, however Nemanja Gudelj smashed Sevilla again degree with a surprising lengthy vary effort.

Fernando’s unlucky personal objective put Osasuna again forward, however Morocco striker Youssef En Nesyri levelled with a nice end.

An exhilarating conflict was settled when on mortgage Barcelona winger Ez Abde produced a nice solo objective with 5 minutes remaining, whipping his end throughout Yassine Bounou and into the far nook.

Osasuna rose to seventh and have a Copa del Rey semi-final towards Athletic Bilbao to look ahead to on Wednesday.

Girona earned an thrilling 3-2 win at Athletic Bilbao to climb into mid-table, impressed by the electrical Aleix Garcia, who opened the scoring.

Oscar de Marcos and Mikel Vesga personal objectives prolonged Girona’s lead, whereas Athletic hit again via Yuri Berchiche and Raul Garcia grabbed one other late on, however couldn’t discover an equaliser.

Younger Celta Vigo star Gabri Veiga struck twice and arrange one other for Haris Seferovic in a 3-0 win over Actual Valladolid.

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