Barcelona (AFP) – Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored both goals for champions Barcelona in the thirteenth round of the Spanish Football League on Sunday.
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Lewandowski snapped his goal drought dating back to September 23, 18 seconds after the whistle, in the 53rd and 77th minutes in response to the visitors’ lead through young striker Samo Omortian (19). 3-2 in the sixth stage when he scored two goals in a win against Celta Vigo.
Fourth-placed Atletico Madrid on 28 points beat Villarreal 3-1 in a game less than the capital club and Barcelona, forced to win at home to stay away from their pursuers, raised their score to 30 points, 4. This season they are ahead of surprise leaders Girona, who beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 on Saturday, and are two points ahead of arch-rivals Real Madrid II, who beat Valencia 5-1 on the same day.
Barcelona also returned to winning ways after losing 0-1 to Shakhtar Donetsk in the fourth round of the Champions League, before that included a hard-fought 1-2 win over Real Sociedad 1 in the eleventh round against Real Madrid in the Spanish Clasico. 0 in the last round.
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez made 6 changes compared to the Donetsk match, notably keeping Kavi, Ferran Torres and Brazilian Rafinha Aguirre on the bench and inserting Petri, Fermin Lopes, Lamine Jamal and Portuguese striker Joao Felix.
The referee blew the opening whistle before handing the Catalan club home after 18 seconds after the ball was intercepted by German Ilkay Gundogan and reached Javier Lopes. It went between the legs of German goalkeeper Marc-Andre der Stegen.
“As has happened to us many times this season, when it starts late, you have to swim against the tide,” Petrie told the Movistar network about his team falling behind by a goal in the first twenty seconds for the second time this season.
He continued, “We have reached this stage after many difficult results, especially in the Champions League, but we must continue to get these three points.”
Barcelona equalized early in the second half after Kamal and France’s Jules Conte teamed up, the latter sending a cross towards the penalty mark which Lewandowski headed in (53).
A foul on substitute Torres by Moroccan defender Abdelgebir Abkar cost the defending champions three points and Lewandowski awarded the penalty kick. )
Coach Luis Garcia summed up the defeat for his side Alaves, who are now 15th, five points adrift, as “sad, very sad”.
And added, “The first half is what matters, if the score is 2-0 or 3-0, it’s a different story.”
Atlético’s stronghold of 15 consecutive wins-
Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways with a 3-1 win over hosts Villarreal to consolidate their fourth place in the league after claiming their fifteenth straight win, a record in the capital club Madrid’s history.
After losing 1-2 to Las Palmas in the last leg, Atletico topped their group with a 6-0 win over Scottish club Celtic in the fourth round of the Champions League. 20), Belgium’s Axel Witzel (45+) alternated three to win, 1) French player Antoine Griezmann (80) scored his eighth goal in “Liga” this season, and Brazilian substitute Samuel Leno (85).
Griezmann told the “Movistar” network that after scoring his 300th goal for the clubs he has defended and for his country’s national team, he gave his Argentina coach Diego Simeone the perfect gift and extended his contract with the club this week. I am very happy (with Simeon staying). I think he’s the best coach for this club.” “It’s great that they’ve reached an agreement.”
The 32-year-old “Roosters” striker praised Atletico’s substitutes for reviving the team, adding, “It was difficult for us, maybe because of fatigue, for the substitutes to participate like today… Thanks to them, we managed to score two goals and get three points.
Villarreal, which sacked the services of its coach Jose Rojo “Pachetta” three days ago, is in 14th place (12 points) two months after assuming his duties and, according to local media, is awaiting the arrival of former French Marseille coach Marcelino. To supervise the group.
The Andalusian derby between Sevilla and their hosts Real Betis ended in a 1-1 draw.
Betis took the lead with Ayoze Perez (72) and Croatian Ivan Rakitic equalized with a shot from outside the Sevilla area (79).
Real Betis are seventh with 21 points, and Sevilla, who have not won a league match since September, notably a 5-1 win over Almeria in the seventh round, are thirteenth with 12 points.
© 2023 AFP
