7-POINT GAP: RAPHINHA'S BRACE BREAKS OSASUNA FOR SEVENTH STRAIGHT WIN
Raphinha's late brace secured a crucial 2-0 win for Barcelona against Osasuna, extending their La Liga lead to seven points and achieving their first clean sheet in six games.
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Raphinha's strike from the edge of the box after 70 minutes secured Barca's seventh straight league win.
Real Madrid, in second place, plays Alaves on Sunday, hoping to close the gap on the leaders to four points.
Barca wasn't at their best but still managed to win, also keeping their first clean sheet in six games.
They also secured their fifth straight victory at their newly reopened Camp Nou.
(The win) has a lot of merit. They were well-organised, and it was hard to find a way through. With patience and a lot of possession, we did it, Barca defender Gerard Martin told Movistar.
A clean sheet gives the team stability, and the goals always come.
Ferran Torres, who started instead of Robert Lewandowski after his hat trick against Real Betis, almost scored early on, but his shot from Lamine Yamal's cross went over the bar.
At the other end, Joan Garcia easily saved Ante Budimir's shot. Osasuna looked to attack Barca on the counter.
Yamal had a couple of shots saved in a frustrating first half for him and Barca.
Torres headed in Marcus Rashford's cross, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The Spain international's overhead kick went just wide, and Garcia made another good save to deny Budimir before halftime.
Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera saved a Rashford free kick early in the second half as Barca looked to continue their winning streak.
They struggled to break down Osasuna, but Raphinha received the ball on the edge of the box to fire a shot into the bottom right corner.
Osasuna's Jorge Herrando, who was sent off on his debut for the club at Camp Nou in 2023, had a goal disallowed after Alejandro Catena collided with Barca goalkeeper Garcia.
Soon after, Raphinha scored at the far post after Alejandro Catena deflected Jules Kounde's cross into his path with four minutes left.
Raphinha, who started in a central attacking midfield role, was one of the team's top players last season as they won a domestic treble and has impressed since returning from injury.
We've got a lot of good players, and Rapha, or anyone else who plays inside, gives us a lot of options in that position, Martin added.
BARTOMEU UNCOVERS SECRET 2017 MBAPPé BID DURING REVEALING CADENA SER INTERVIEW
Josep Maria Bartomeu reveals Barcelona targeted Kylian Mbappé in 2017, but coaches preferred a move for Ousmane Dembélé instead
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has just dropped a bit of a bombshell: right after Neymar left for PSG, Barcelona actually went after Kylian Mbappe. That chaotic summer in 2017, when Neymar's record-breaking move sent shockwaves through the club, left them scrambling for a new superstar.
Bartomeu admitted in an interview with SER that Neymar’s shock exit caught everyone off guard. “Neymar’s departure came as a shock to the club; we didn’t want him to leave,” he said. Suddenly, Barcelona was scouring the market for big names, and with Mbappe starring at Monaco, he became their top target.
But here’s the twist: even though the club reached out for both Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, the coaching staff made the final call. Bartomeu explained, “We made an offer for Mbappe and another for Dembele. The coaching staff preferred Dembele.” So, instead of pushing for Mbappe, Barcelona pressed ahead with Dembele, ultimately striking a deal with Borussia Dortmund worth €105 million plus add-ons.
Of course, there was the small matter of money, too. Bartomeu clarified that the price Monaco set for Mbappe was simply out of reach: €180 million, take it or leave it, and it was PSG who could step up. “It wasn’t an offer in the strict sense. They would say to you, "He's worth €180 million." If you want Mbappe, it’s €180 million, and Paris paid it.” Between the steep price and the coaching staff’s strong preference for Dembele, Barcelona backed off.
Bartomeu also opened up about how he handled transfers during his tenure. One thing stood out: after he pushed for the Luis Suarez signing from Liverpool despite all the controversy and got hammered with criticism, he decided to step back and trust the technical staff from then on. Suarez went on to win the Champions League and four La Liga titles with Barcelona, but that experience taught Bartomeu a lesson. “The only decision I made as president or as an administrator, and which I defended vigorously, was the signing of Suarez,” he said. “I was heavily criticised by all the media, so I learned the lesson that the president or administrators cannot interfere in sporting matters. We must trust the technical staff, the sporting directors, and the coaches; it is they who decide on signings.”
BARCELONA SECURE 14-POINT LEAD OVER MADRID; ESPANYOL RESULT NOW DETERMINES TITLE
Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres scored late to move Barcelona 14 points clear, leaving them one Madrid loss from the title.
Barcelona now sit 14 points ahead of Real Madrid, and if Madrid slips up against Espanyol on Sunday, the title’s theirs.
Lewandowski finally broke the deadlock after 81 minutes, nodding in a header, and Torres added another four minutes from the end. Osasuna didn't quit, though Raul Garcia pulled one back late, but Barcelona held on for all three points. They’re inching closer to a second league title in a row, the club’s 29th overall.
If Madrid beats Espanyol, Barcelona’s next chance to seal it comes in the Clásico on May 10 against their biggest rivals.
Flick’s trying to keep his team’s focus on the next match rather than the Clasico, but Barcelona played the first half like a squad with little to lose. Missing the injured Lamine Yamal, they lost a chunk of their energy on the attack. Sure, they dominated possession, but breaking down Osasuna for real chances? That was tough.
Roony Bardghji, filling in for Yamal on the right, managed a decent long shot, but Osasuna’s keeper, Sergio Herrera, had no trouble stopping it. Honestly, Osasuna nearly shocked everyone before halftime. Ante Budimir battled through two defenders and poked the ball off the post.
Barcelona picked up the pace after the break. Dani Olmo should’ve scored from close range, but he fluffed it. Flick then rolled the dice from the bench, bringing on three subs, including Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, to take over the right flank.
Rashford almost made an immediate impact, curling a shot just over and injecting some much-needed speed. He set up the opener too, swinging in a perfect cross for Lewandowski, who lost his marker and buried his header. Torres, another sub, finished with precision to double the lead.
Still, it wasn’t comfortable. Garcia scored for Osasuna in stoppage time, left wide open in the box, forcing Barcelona to sweat out the last minutes. The Catalans dug in, clearing everything in sight as Osasuna pressed, but finally, they held on for their tenth league win in a row. Now, all they can do is wait.
