Barcelona secured a crucial victory over Las Palmas as they continue their pursuit of La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Raphinha scored the only goal of the game in the second half, assisted by Joao Felix, to close the gap to five points behind Madrid with the El Clasico still to come. Barcelona dominated possession but struggled to break through until Las Palmas goalkeeper Alvaro Valles received a red card for a foul on Raphinha outside the box. The introduction of Joao Felix provided Barcelona with the impetus needed to secure the win.
With the La Liga title race still wide open, Barcelona’s unbeaten run dating back to January has added excitement to the competition. Real Madrid cannot afford to slip up, especially with the upcoming El Clasico match on the horizon. A few dropped points for Madrid could significantly shake up the standings and make the race for the title even more interesting. Despite Xavi being banned from the dugout, the introduction of Joao Felix proved crucial in unlocking a resolute Las Palmas defense, showing the depth of talent at Barcelona’s disposal.
Player of the Match honors went to Ilkay Gundogan, whose creativity and skill were essential in breaking down the Las Palmas defense. Barcelona’s goalkeeper Ter Stegen also put in a solid performance, along with Raphinha and Lewandowski, who posed a constant threat to the opposition. On the other side, Las Palmas showed resilience despite being down to 10 men, with some notable performances from players like Marvin and Haddadi. The final scoreline of 1-0 reflected Barcelona’s dominance in the game.
Key moments in the match included a disallowed goal for Barcelona due to an offside decision, as well as Valles being shown a red card for a foul on Raphinha. Both teams had their chances, with Barcelona hitting the bar through Lewandowski and Las Palmas coming close with a free-kick from Coco. The winning goal came in the 60th minute as Joao Felix provided a pin-point assist for Raphinha to head home past the goalkeeper. Joao Felix also came close to scoring himself, hitting the crossbar with a simple finish.
In terms of key statistics, Barcelona’s recent form has been impressive, with 22 goals scored and six clean sheets in their last 11 games, resulting in eight wins and no defeats. The win over Las Palmas has boosted Barcelona’s confidence as they continue their pursuit of the La Liga title. Viewers in the UK can catch all the action from La Liga and other premium sports events on TNT Sports, available for streaming on discovery+ or through various cable providers. The competition in La Liga remains intense, with Barcelona hoping to capitalize on any slip-ups from Real Madrid in the coming matches.
