Seydou Keita and Xavi struck in the last 11 minutes to earn 10-man Barcelona a nervy 3-1 home win over lowly Sporting de Gijon that kept their La Liga title hopes alive on Saturday.
With leading scorer Lionel Messi suspended for the first time in his career, the champions lacked a cutting edge until Andres Iniesta fired them in front just before halftime at the Camp Nou.
The game was turned on its head a minute into the second half when home defender Gerard Pique was shown a harsh red card as he got in a tangle with Miguel de las Cuevas on the edge of the Barca area.
Photo: AFP
Almost immediately, substitute David Barral stole in front of goalkeeper Victor Valdes to nudge in the equalizer for second-from-bottom Sporting.
The magnificent Iniesta drove Barca forward in search of the winner and it was Keita who struck the decisive goal with a stunning shot into the top corner from an Alexis Sanchez layoff.
Iniesta then conjured a third goal for Xavi, who finished with a neat lob at the end as Barca closed the gap on leaders Real Madrid to seven points.
“With Messi it would have been easier because he is the best player in the world,” Keita told Spanish television. “It was just important to win three points.”
Keita refused to speak about referee Carlos Velasco Carballo, but Pique was highly critical when he spoke to reporters.
“I have seen it on television and I didn’t even commit a foul,” Pique said. “It felt like it was a premeditated decision. I told the referee at halftime he should have signaled a penalty in favor of Keita and he remembered this.”
Real, on course for a first league title in four years, have 64 points, while second-placed Barca have 57.
Big-spending Malaga moved up to fourth on 37 points with their first away win since November.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side climbed into the Champions League qualification places with a 3-1 comeback win at Getafe courtesy of three spectacular long-range strikes.
Portugal’s Eliseu fired Malaga level after 57 minutes, France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan crashed a second in off the post and Spain’s Santi Cazorla caught out the home goalkeeper from just over the halfway line with a wonderful lob in stoppage-time.
Atletico Madrid stayed ninth with 33 points after being held to a 1-1 draw at 10th-placed Sevilla, a point doing little for either side’s European aspirations.
Salvio headed Atletico in front after only nine minutes, but Baba grabbed an equalizer for the hosts in the 53rd minute.
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid came back from 2-0 down to beat 10-man Real Racing Club de Santander 4-2, while RCD Mallorca drew 1-1 with CA Osasuna.
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