Barcelona on Thursday swept to a comfortable 3-0 victory over CA Osasuna to move three points clear at the top of La Liga despite their discontent at having to play the match this week.
The Catalans’ appeal against the rescheduling of the game was rejected, but Hansi Flick’s side, unbeaten in 19 matches across all competitions, still made light work of Osasuna, 14th.
Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo netted in the first half, with Robert Lewandowski on target after halftime.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Barca were without key winger Raphinha as he played for Brazil on Wednesday in South America in FIFA World Cup qualifying, but cruised regardless.
Flick was happy with the victory, but said an injury to Olmo meant it came at a cost.
“We have three points more, but we paid a really high price with the injury of Dani,” Flick told reporters. “We don’t know how long he will be out, but if it’s two weeks, he’ll miss a lot of games, and if it’s three weeks even more.”
The match was originally due to be played on March 8, but was postponed after a Barcelona club doctor died.
Some players, including France’s Jules Kounde, played 120 minutes on Sunday for their countries before returning for the game.
“It’s a lack of respect to the club to select this date,” Kounde told DAZN. “We’re not machines, and to play our game and give the fans what we want, we need rest.”
Flick put veteran striker Lewandowski on the bench, deploying Torres in his place to excellent effect.
“Every game is a final, so today’s was a final, it was important for us,” Torres told DAZN.
Barcelona controlled the game from the start, taking the lead through Torres after 11 minutes.
Frenkie de Jong led the way as Barcelona moved the ball around smartly, with Alejandro Balde receiving it on the left. The fullback, in fine form, sent a dangerous low ball into the six-yard box where Torres darted in to stab home.
The Spaniard should have added a second when teenage star Lamine Yamal clipped a fine ball over the top for him, but Sergio Herrera saved well.
The goalkeeper brought down Dani Olmo to concede a penalty for Barcelona’s second midway through the first half.
Herrera saved Olmo’s spot-kick, low to his right, but a retake was ordered after an Osasuna player encroached, and this time the playmaker made no mistake.
Olmo was taken off hurt a few minutes later, with Flick angry on the sidelines at the situation, as Barca face an intense run of nine games in 28 days across all competitions.
Torres whipped a free-kick against the crossbar with Barcelona remaining dominant, as midfield maestro Pedri Gonzalez controlled the game.
The second half was a low-key affair as Barcelona were content with their lead, until Lewandowski came on for Torres, hungry to get in on the action.
The veteran Polish striker nodded home from Fermin Lopez’s cross at the end of a quick break to extend Barca’s lead and his own at the top of Spain’s scoring charts with 23 league goals.
Barcelona’s win helped them put daylight between themselves and champions Real Madrid, while Atletico, third, are seven points behind.
Barca host Girona tomorrow in a Catalan derby, while Atletico visit RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid welcome CD Leganes today.
Vicente Moreno’s Osasuna are without a win in their past seven games across all competitions.
“We’re not doing well, for a long time we’ve been down in the dumps,” Osasuna’s Ruben Garcia said. “We faced a team that rolled over the top of us, we have to recognize that and try to do better.”
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen has become the first female player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after the Golden State Valkyries selected her in the third and final round of the league’s draft on Monday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship earlier this month. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament’s most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen (陳凱玲) has become the first player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after being selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the third and final round of the league's draft yesterday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship on April 6. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament's most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as a
Japan yesterday secured a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup finals appearance with a 2-1 win over 2023 champions Canada, thanks to Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama’s 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win over Kayla Cross and Rebecca Marino in the qualifying doubles decider. Shibahara and Aoyama powered through the opening set 6-3, breaking twice for a quick 3-0 lead. Cross and Marino hit back in the second, edging it 7-5 to level the match, before the Japanese pair regained control in the third. Canada’s 18-year-old Victoria Mboko edged Shibahara 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5 in a marathon opening clash. Mboko fired eight aces to
DAY OF BLOWOUTS: Elsewhere, the Lakers clinched the third seed in the Western Conference with a 140-109 pounding of the under-strength Houston Rockets The Denver Nuggets on Friday improved their playoff position, with a triple double from Nikola Jokic helping them to a 117-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Serbian put up 26 points, 13 assists and 16 rebounds. The triple-double performance, his 34th this season, ensured that he will finish the regular season as just the third NBA player to average a triple double across an entire season. The win meant the Nuggets improved to 49-32 on the season and gave them a real chance of grabbing fourth place and home-court advantage in the playoffs. Aaron Gordon top scored with 33 points for Denver,
RSS