Barcelona picked up its second win in a row without the suspended Lionel Messi, defeating Elche 2-0 to regain third place in the Spanish league on Sunday.
Frenkie de Jong scored in the 39th minute and set up Riqui Puig’s 89th-minute goal to give Barcelona its fourth league win in a row as Messi served the second of his two-game suspension for hitting an opponent.
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Barcelona picked up its second win in a row without the suspended Lionel Messi, defeating Elche 2-0 to regain third place in the Spanish league on Sunday.
It was the first time Barcelona won four consecutive league matches this season, with all four victories coming in away matches. It hasn't lost in nine straight league games.
Barcelona was coming off a 2-0 win over third-division club Cornellà in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey on Thursday, when Messi served the first match of his suspension for hitting an opponent in the team’s 3-2 loss to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final on Jan. 17.
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Elche's goalkeeper Edgar Badia fails to save a shot by Barcelona's Riqui Puig, not seen, who scored his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
Barcelona's goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen makes a save during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann jumps over Elche's goalkeeper Edgar Badia during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
The Catalan club moved a point in front of Sevilla, which on Saturday beat Cádiz 3-0. Barcelona was three points behind second-place Real Madrid — which won 4-1 at Alavés on Saturday — and seven points behind leader Atlético Madrid, which has two games in hand ahead of its home match against Valencia later Sunday.
Barcelona's Riqui Puig, second left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
It was the first time Barcelona won four consecutive league matches this season, with all four victories coming in away matches. It hasn't lost in nine straight league games.
De Jong scored into the open net after the Elche defense failed to fully clear a cross from Martin Braithwaite to Antoine Griezmann inside the area. The Dutch midfielder made a well-placed cross for Puig’s late header for his first-ever Spanish league goal.
Marc-André Ter Stegen made a crucial foot-save to keep Barcelona ahead in the 56th after Elche forward Emiliano Rigoni entered the area in a one-on-one situation. The breakaway for the hosts was prompted after a blunder by Barcelona defender Óscar Mingueza, who gave the ball away near midfield.
Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, right, is challenged by Elche's Ivan Marcone during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
Barcelona was coming off a 2-0 win over third-division club Cornellà in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey on Thursday, when Messi served the first match of his suspension for hitting an opponent in the team’s 3-2 loss to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final on Jan. 17.
The Argentina playmaker will be allowed to return to action in Barcelona’s visit to Rayo Vallecano in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Elche, winless in its last 13 league games, was second-to-last in the 20-team standings.
Barcelona's Riqui Puig, center right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
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Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong scores his side's opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
Elche's goalkeeper Edgar Badia fails to save a shot by Barcelona's Riqui Puig, not seen, who scored his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
Barcelona's goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen makes a save during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann jumps over Elche's goalkeeper Edgar Badia during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Barcelona at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)
Barcelona defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 on Thursday to make sure Real Madrid will have to wait at least another week to celebrate the Spanish league title.
Barcelona's away victory reduced its gap to Madrid to 15 points, and it can further cut it to 12 points on Sunday if it defeats Rayo Vallecano at home in a game it has in hand.
Barcelona and Madrid, which won 3-1 at Osasuna on Wednesday, will have five games left. Madrid, trying to clinch its second title in three seasons, doesn’t play this weekend.
Barcelona's plaers celebrate after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
“Madrid was lucky that it took a while for us to join the fight,” Barcelona defender Dani Alves said.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored with a close-range header in the 11th minute to give Barcelona its first win after consecutive home losses against Cádiz in the league and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League. The Catalan club had not lost two straight home games since 2003.
The victory against Sociedad left Barcelona tied on points with Sevilla, which defeated Levante earlier Thursday to stay in position to secure a Champions League place next season. Second place also is important as it guarantees a spot in the Spanish Super Cup.
Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
“We suffered a lot but in the end we got three golden points and stayed in second place,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “It was an important victory even though we didn’t play too well.”
Defending champion Atlético Madrid, which was held to a 0-0 home draw against relegation-threatened Granada on Wednesday, stayed two points behind Barcelona and Sevilla. Fifth-place Real Betis trailed Atlético by four points and was two ahead of Sociedad.
Sociedad has not beaten Barcelona in 12 straight league matches. The Basque Country club hadn't lost in seven consecutive league games at home, all of them with clean sheets.
Barcelona's Dani Alves, left, fights for the ball with Real Sociedad's Diego Rico during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Barcelona extended its unbeaten streak on the road to 13 league matches, having won five in a row.
Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo left injured early in the second half, and the team's other central defender, Gerard Piqué, appeared to get injured in the first half but stayed until being substituted in the 82nd while being loudly jeered by the Sociedad fans.
Piqué, who also heard some boos every time he touched the ball during the game, has been in the spotlight in recent days after stolen audio leaked to the media exposed a series of conversations between him and Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales talking about behind-the-scenes negotiations on several issues.
Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, left, vies for the ball with Real Sociedad's Igor Zubeldia during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
SEVILLA RECOVERS
Sevilla improved its chances of making it to the Champions League with a 3-2 win at second-to-last-place Levante.
Jesús “Tecatito” Corona scored two first-half goals and Jules Koundé added another after halftime.
Barcelona's Dani Alves reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Levante captain José Luis Morales had to be comforted by teammates and opponents after the match because of a missed penalty kick that could have equalized the game at 2-2 in the second half. Koundé gave Sevilla a 3-1 lead about 10 minutes later before Roberto Soldado pulled the hosts closer again.
Levante stayed tied with last-place Alavés, six points from safety.
CÁDIZ FALLS AGAIN
Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, left, tries to score next to Real Sociedad's goalkeeper Alex Remiro during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Cádiz followed up its stunning 1-0 win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou Stadium with a 3-2 home loss against Athletic Bilbao.
The result left Cádiz just outside the relegation zone.
Eighth-place Athletic was up 3-0 by the 33rd. It played a man down from the 71st after Mikel Vesga was sent off.
Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
RELIEF FOR RAYO
Rayo won 1-0 at Espanyol to end a 13-match winless streak in the league and move closer to salvation.
Sergi Guardiola scored in the 42nd to leave the southern Madrid club seven points from the relegation zone in 14th place. Espanyol, sitting in 12th-place, was two points ahead of Rayo.
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