BARCELONA – In a closely contested LaLiga match, Barcelona edged past bottom-placed Almeria 3-2 at home, thanks to two crucial second-half goals from Sergi Roberto. The win ends Barcelona’s three-game winless streak across all competitions as they enter the Christmas break.
Barcelona, asserting their dominance early on, created a flurry of opportunities but struggled to capitalize on them. Raphinha broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute, pouncing on a rebound after Almeria’s Luis Maximiano saved Ronald Araujo’s header.
Almeria struck back with Leo Baptistao’s clever chipped finish just before halftime. Initially ruled offside, the decision was overturned after VAR intervention, leveling the scoreline.
Sergi Roberto emerged as Barcelona’s hero, first restoring their lead with a header from a corner. However, Edgar Gonzalez equalized for Almeria, setting the stage for a tense finish. Roberto then clinched the win for Barcelona, deftly nutmegging Maximiano in a close-range effort.
The victory propels Barcelona to third in the LaLiga standings with 38 points from 18 games, trailing leaders Girona by six points and second-placed Real Madrid by four. Real Madrid and Girona have their matches scheduled for Thursday.
Almeria’s continued struggles in LaLiga see them rooted at the bottom with just five points, still searching for their first league win of the season.
The match highlighted Barcelona’s attacking prowess and their ability to bounce back under pressure, while Almeria displayed resilience despite their position in the standings.
Barcelona’s hard-fought victory over Almeria signifies their determination to stay in contention for the LaLiga title. Sergi Roberto’s crucial contributions underscored the depth and versatility of the squad. For Almeria, the narrow defeat, while disappointing, showed glimpses of potential that they could harness in the latter part of the season.
