Barcelona secured a comfortable 2-0 victory against Osasuna at home on Thursday, strengthening their position at the top of La Liga with a three-point advantage. This win comes at a crucial point in the closely contested league title race.
The home side established their lead early in the match. Ferran Torres opened the scoring in the 11th minute, followed by Dani Olmo who converted a penalty just ten minutes later. Barcelona dominated the game, outshooting Osasuna 19 to three and preventing any shots on target from their opponents. Notably, they achieved this victory without key players Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, who were returning from international duty. Lewandowski later came on as a substitute and scored Barcelona`s third goal in the 77th minute.
This match was a rescheduled fixture from earlier in March. La Liga postponed the original game due to the passing of Barcelona`s team doctor, Carles Minarro Garcia.
Here are some key highlights from the match:
Key Moment
Barcelona`s early dominance was highlighted by Torres` goal in the 11th minute. It was a well-coordinated team effort, showcasing Barcelona`s attacking fluidity this season. Alejandro Balde provided a superb cross, setting up Torres for a close-range finish.
Player of the Match
Ferran Torres was instrumental beyond his opening goal. During his 68 minutes on the pitch, he was actively involved in the attack, taking four shots and accumulating 1.18 expected goals. This performance underscores his value as a strong attacking option for Barcelona, even when Lewandowski and Raphinha are not in the starting lineup.
Implications for Barcelona
With this win, Barcelona has played the same number of matches as their La Liga rivals and holds a three-point lead over Real Madrid, who are in second place. Their lead over Atletico Madrid is now seven points with ten games remaining in the season.
What`s Next
Barcelona`s next La Liga match is on Sunday against Girona, who are currently in 13th place. Following that, they will compete in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Atletico Madrid. Their first leg match in February ended in a 4-4 draw.
