Teenage star Lamine Yamal’s superbly-taken goal on Saturday earned Barcelona a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in Spanish La Liga.
The champions restored their four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, who had on Friday temporarily closed the gap by beating Celta Vigo.
Atletico Madrid tightened their grip on third with an entertaining 3-2 win over Real Sociedad.
Photo: AP
Yamal, 18, curled into the top corner after 68 minutes to split the sides at Athletic’s San Mames stadium.
“We’re already seeing what Lamine can do — he puts it right in the top corner, and there’s nothing the keeper can do,” Barca midfielder Pedri told Movistar.
“He’s very young, and he’s only going to get better,” Pedri said. “What he has to do is not settle, to keep going like this, keep working and enjoying himself out there on the pitch, because he gives us a lot.”
Barca coach Hansi Flick rotated his side, with tomorrow’s visit to face Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League last 16 looming.
As a result, his team put in a disjointed first-half display, creating little and looking far from their free-flowing best.
“Everyone was fighting, defending as a unit, and we have a clean sheet again, and that’s really important,” Flick told reporters. “One game less and three points more, it’s a perfect situation.”
Barca’s Ferran Torres floundered up front, bereft of form, and Athletic had the marginally better openings of a forgettable first half.
Joao Cancelo hit the frame of his own goal early on, and Selton Sanchez ran through on goal, but Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia got down well to dispossess him.
Inaki Williams had a strike ruled out for offside, and Garcia thwarted Oihan Sancet early in the second half, in a rare clear opening as the two Copa del Rey semi-final losing sides continued to tussle fruitlessly.
Barcelona’s teenage star Yamal had an unusually quiet first hour, but escaped Athletic defender Adama Boiro’s close attentions to break the deadlock.
Substitute Pedri found Yamal and as Boiro slipped, the youngster whipped the ball into the top corner off the post for his 19th goal of the season across all competitions.
“I think he didn’t have his best game today, but you can see how important he is,” said Flick. “He can decide the games and when he has the space, he’s able to score. It’s good to have him on this level that he can decide, in one situation, the match.”
Nicolas Gonzalez netted twice as Diego Simeone’s Atletico overcame Real Sociedad to move three points clear of fourth-place Villarreal, who were to host Elche yesterday.
It was only the second defeat for Real Sociedad coach Pellegrino Matarazzo in 14 matches at the helm, with the Basque side rising to eighth since the American’s arrival.
Both sides sealed passage to the Copa del Rey final this week, with this match a dress rehearsal for the showdown in Seville next month.
“It had been a while since I’d scored, so it’s good I could do it today in this stadium with these fans,” Gonzalez told Movistar. “We’re showing in every game what we want and what we’re capable of.”
Alexander Sorloth continued his good form by sending Atletico ahead, but Carlos Soler pulled La Real level in the first half.
Atletico substitute Antoine Griezmann set up Gonzalez’s first goal with a tidy backheel as the hosts took the lead again.
Real Sociedad immediately equalized, with Mikel Oyarzabal smashing in from the edge of the box.
Gonzalez won it for Simeone’s side, leaping high to nod home Matteo Ruggieri’s curling cross.
“I’m really happy for Nico... He got injured in December and hasn’t been able to find his form since,” Simeone said. “I hope he keeps it up, because we need everything he has to offer.”
Argentina international Gonzalez was coached by Matarazzo at Stuttgart, and the pair shared a laugh at the end of the game — they are to meet again next month with a trophy on the line.
“We hate to lose, and the performance was not our best,” Matarazzo said.
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