By OUR MAN AT EL SADAR
BARCELONA kept their title charge on track by the skin of their teeth last night as Robert Lewandowski proved why he’s still the top dog in Spain.
The Polish hitman didn’t have it all his own way in a bruising encounter at El Sadar, but when the pressure reached boiling point, Lewy remained the coolest man in the building to slot home an 85th-minute penalty.
It was a night where the stars had to earn every penny of their wages. Jules Kounde—usually the man tasked with slamming the door shut at the back—showed he’s just as dangerous at the other end. On the stroke of half-time, the Frenchman rose highest to meet an Ilkay Gundogan corner, powering a header past Aitor Fernandez to give Xavi’s men the lead.
But Osasuna haven’t turned El Sadar into a fortress by accident. The home side refused to lie down, and with 15 minutes left on the clock, Chimy Avila sent the home fans into raptures. The substitute picked up the ball on the edge of the area and unleashed a left-footed rocket that clipped the post on its way past a helpless Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
For a moment, it looked like Barca were going to drop two massive points in the race to catch Real Madrid.
The drama, however, was only just beginning. As the clock ticked down, Lewandowski was hauled back in the box by Alejandro Catena.
After a frantic VAR check that felt like an eternity, the referee didn’t just point to the spot—he brandished a RED CARD for Catena, leaving the hosts to finish the fight with ten men.
Lewandowski stepped up, shrugged off the deafening whistles from the Pamplona faithful, and rolled the ball into the bottom corner.
It wasn’t just about the old guard, either. Xavi handed highly-anticipated debuts to loan stars Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix, both of whom got a taste of just how gritty La Liga can get away from the bright lights of the Nou Camp.
The win leaves Barcelona sitting pretty in third, just two points behind leaders Real Madrid as we head into the international break.
MATCH STATS
Osasuna: 1 (Avila 76′)
Barcelona: 2 (Kounde 45+1′, Lewandowski 85′ pen)
Sent Off: Catena (Osasuna) 84′
