Barcelona keeps on winning 바카라 at least in the Spanish La Liga 2022-23. The Catalan club edged Celta Viga 1-0 on Sunday for their seventh straight victory in the competition, regaining first place and restoring some confidence going into a decisive UEFA Champions League game against Inter Milan. (More Football News)
Barcelona has not been able to repeat its league success in the group stage of the European competition, and anything but a home victory against Inter on Wednesday will leave the club on the brink of elimination for a second consecutive season after the departure of Lionel Messi.
Barcelona lost to Inter last week in Italy for its second consecutive Champions League defeat. In the Spanish league, though, Barcelona has been perfect since a scoreless opening draw against Rayo Vallecano at home.
Pedri GonzĂĄlez scored the winner on Sunday in the 17th minute with an easy shot into the open net after Celta defender Unai NĂșñez couldn바카라t fully clear a low cross by Gavi PĂĄez.
Celta, which had won three of its last five league games, played well in the second half but failed to capitalize on its scoring chances at the Camp Nou.
바카라The way we played, not even a draw would have been a fair result,바카라 Celta striker Iago Aspas said. 바카라We created five or six chances in the second half.바카라
 The visitors had a goal disallowed for offside in the 70th and Barcelona needed a good performance from goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.
바카라We suffered a bit more than we should have,바카라 Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso said. 바카라But what is important is that in the end we got the three points.바카라
Barcelona coach Xavi HernĂĄndez said the team should have closed out the match before halftime.
바카라We struggled too much in the second half,바카라 Xavi said. 바카라They had some clear chances to score in the end. It was an important victory, but there is a lot to improve.바카라
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, the league바카라s leading scorer with nine goals, had his streak of scoring in the last six rounds come to an end.
The result sets up a showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium next Sunday in the first clåsico of the season. The rivals have the same 22 points after eight matches, but Barcelona is ahead on goal difference.
HernĂĄndez was without several defenders because of injuries and had to improvise a defensive lineup starting with three left backs 바카라 Alejandro Balde played as a right back and Marcos Alonso as a center back, with Jordi Alba in his usual position.
Ousmane Dembélé and Ansu Fati began the match on the bench, with Raphinha and Ferran Torres earning their chances from the start.
Barcelona, which hasn바카라t conceded in its last six league games, earned its second straight win against Celta. It was coming off another 1-0 win 바카라 at Mallorca. The Vigo club sits in 11th place with 10 points from eight matches.
BETIS HOLD ON
Real Betis held on to a 0-0 draw at Valladolid despite playing more than an hour with a man down as defender GermĂĄn Pezzella was sent off in the 35th.
Betis had defender Luiz Felipe red carded in the 20th minute of its previous league game, a 1-0 loss at Celta. Sunday바카라s result dropped Manuel Pellegrini바카라s team to fifth place with 16 points from eight matches. Valladolid, coming off its second win of the season, was in 13th place.
ESPANYOL HELD AGAIN
Joselu scored twice in the second half but Espanyol was held by 19th-place CĂĄdiz to a 2-2 draw, extending its winless streak to four matches. The result left the Barcelona club just outside the relegation zone. CĂĄdiz is unbeaten in three games after losing its first five.
