Barcelona lose, miss likelihood to take the lead in Spain

Barcelona missed an opportunity to take over the Spanish league lead Thursday, dropping 2-1 to Granada at dwelling to squander a chance to take management of the title race.
Lionel Messi put the Catalan membership forward within the first half however Granada rallied for a shock victory with two second-half targets on the Camp Nou Stadium.
“It’s a tough blow,” Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman stated. “It was a great opportunity for us.”
The match was postponed from two weeks in the past due to Barcelona’s participation within the Copa del Rey remaining, which it received over Athletic Bilbao.
A house win would have given Barcelona a one-point lead over Atlético Madrid with 5 rounds to go. Atlético, searching for its first league title since 2014, has led the league for many of the season however struggled just lately. It misplaced 2-1 at Athletic on Sunday.
“We are upset,” Barcelona defender Jordi Alba stated. “In two chances they scored two goals. We should have scored again to seal the match. Now we don’t depend on ourselves anymore. We have to win the final five matches and see what happens. It was a golden opportunity to take the lead after everything that we have gone through this season, but we let it slip away.”
Barcelona, searching for its fifth league title since 2014, stayed two factors again in third place, tied on factors with defending champion Real Madrid, which is coming off a house draw in opposition to Real Betis final weekend.
Barcelona hosts Atlético in a vital match on the Camp Nou on May 8. The Catalan membership visits Valencia on Sunday, whereas on Saturday Atlético visits Elche and Madrid hosts Osasuna.
Sevilla additionally stays in rivalry, sitting three factors off the lead. It’s been practically 15 years since 4 groups have entered the ultimate stretch in rivalry for the Spanish league title.
Messi scored his fifth aim in his final 4 matches with a low cross shot from inside the realm after a go by Antoine Griezmann within the twenty third minute.
Highlights:
It was Messi’s twenty sixth league aim to extend his lead on the prime of the scoring chart. He has 5 greater than Madrid’s Karim Benzema and 6 greater than Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno.
The Argentine playmaker had a fantastic likelihood so as to add to the lead shortly after the primary aim, however he couldn’t discover the web from shut vary in a one-on-one scenario with Granada goalkeeper Aarón Escandell inside the realm.
Granada, sitting in eighth place, scored with its solely two photographs heading in the right direction on the Camp Nou. It equalized by Venezuelan ahead Darwin Machís on a breakaway within the 63rd, then bought the winner with a 79th-minute header by Jorge Molina. The membership from southern Spain was lacking a few of its common starters due to accidents.
Koeman was despatched off shortly after Granada’s first aim for complaining to the officiating crew.
Barcelona was searching for its third consecutive league win because it misplaced the “clásico” in opposition to Madrid this month.
The Catalan membership has been making a late cost for the title after struggling early within the season, which might be the final with Messi if he doesn’t change his thoughts about leaving when his contract expires on the finish of the season.
It is the workforce’s first season with Koeman in cost and beneath the command of recent president Joan Laporta.
Barcelona has been one of many European golf equipment struggling probably the most financially due to the coronavirus pandemic.