In three days, Barcelona has loved seeing rival Real Madrid take two blows. After beating Madrid 1-0 within the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals on the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Barcelona stored its title-chasing momentum within the Spanish league by defeating Valencia 1-0 and rising its lead over second-place Madrid to 9 factors. Madrid could not hold tempo with the Catalan membership later Sunday after being held to a 0-0 draw at Real Betis.
Raphinha scored a first-half winner for Barcelona, which missed a penalty from Ferran Torres early within the second half after which noticed defender Ronald Araujo despatched off. Madrid was largely in management towards Betis, however Vinícius Júnior, Karim Benzema and Rodrygo did not capitalize on their scoring probabilities.
Barcelona and Madrid will play their last league sport on March 19 on the Camp Nou. “It’s not over yet,” Madrid’s Lucas Vázquez mentioned. “We know it’s going to be tough, but we will fight until the end. We really think we can make a run.”
Barcelona had misplaced two in a row — towards Manchester United within the Europa League and Almeria within the league — earlier than developing with the massive Copa victory towards Madrid on the Bernabéu. Raphinha scored towards Valencia with a header after a well-placed move by Sergio Busquets within the fifteenth minute. Torres missed the penalty within the fifty fifth and 4 minutes later Araujo was despatched off for stopping a breakaway.
Barcelona bought the win regardless of nonetheless lacking a few of its prime gamers, together with Robert Lewandowski, the league’s main scorer. Ousmane Dembélé and Pedri additionally didn’t play due to accidents, whereas playmaker Gavi was out due to a yellow-card suspension.
“We are not being effective up front and end up suffering to close out matches,” mentioned Barcelona coach Xavi, who watched from the stands due to a suspension.
_ FULL TIME!!!!!!!!!! #BarcaValencia pic.twitter.com/8zJ7F5HBZ0
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 5, 2023
Madrid was with out midfielder Luka Modric due to a yellow-card suspension. Carlo Ancelotti’s crew is winless in three straight matches after defeating Liverpool 5-2 within the first leg of the spherical of 16 within the Champions League. Benzema scored from a free kick within the twelfth however the objective was known as off after video overview as a result of the ball deflected barely off the arm of Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger.
Betis noticed its three-game profitable streak finish however it remained in fifth place, three factors behind fourth-place Real Sociedad within the last Champions League spot. Valencia was making an attempt to win two in a row after a run of six consecutive losses in all competitions. It went into the Camp Nou contained in the relegation zone and lacking a number of gamers due to damage, together with veteran striker Edinson Cavani. Valencia is in nineteenth place, two factors from security.
It was Valencia’s third sport with coach Rubén Baraja in cost after he changed Gennaro Gattuso. Singaporean membership proprietor Peter Lim nonetheless faces protests from Valencia followers who accuse him of poor administration and never caring for the membership’s pursuits.
Valencia unsuccessfully demanded a penalty kick when Fran Pérez was introduced down by Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessié inside the realm within the eighty fifth.
Valladolid Victory
Valladolid defeated Espanyol 2-1 in a match between two golf equipment making an attempt to remain removed from the relegation zone. Iván Sánchez scored within the twenty fifth and Álvaro Aguado within the 62nd for Valladolid, which moved to 14th place, two factors clear from the drop zone.
Martin Braithwaite netted within the 87th for Espanyol, which was twelfth however stayed with the identical 27 factors as Valladolid. Valladolid hadn’t received in three straight matches. Espanyol had received two in a row.
