ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper
After the euphoria of their greatest comeback in UEFA Champions League, Barcelona crashed to a 1-2 defeat away to Deportivo La Coruna, just above the relegation zone.
The defeat, Barcelona’s first in 19 league matches, gave La Liga title race back to Real Madrid.
The Catalans had some excuses though for the loss. Neymar was missing in action, nursing an abductor injury and talisman, Leo Messi was not in his best elements.
Luis Suarez however was on song, scoring his 20th league goal of the season.
But strikes from Joselu and Alex Bergantiños either side of the match ensured that Barcelona went back home empty-handed.
With Deportivo coming into the game unbeaten in three matches since Pepe Mel took charge at the start of the month, this was always going to be a difficult fixture.
Messi had Barcelona’s first real chance on 20 minutes when Messi and Suarez combined in the area and Messi had a shot deflected wide.
Then with five minutes left of the first period things went from bad to worse for Barcelona.
First Ter Stegen had to get down sharply to his right to turn away a shot from Joselu and then the former Real Madrid youth-teamer went one better to open the scoring.
Suarez set about putting things right in the second half and inside a minute he had the equalizer. Roberto crossed from the right and when the ball bounced away from Andre Gomes Suarez lashed it past Lux.
With Barcelona looking for the second goal, Luis Enrique took off Arda Turan and brought on Andres Iniesta. Ivan Rakitic also came on for Andre Gomes
But it was Deportivo that got their second goal of the day, when Alex Bergantiños climbing above Jordi Alba, headed a corner just inside Ter Stegen’s post.
Adapted from Mail Online:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4306492/Deportivo-2-1-Barcelona-Catalans-La-Liga-hopes-dented.html
