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Ilkay Gundogan calmly converted a stoppage-time penalty to secure Barcelona a narrowly earned 2-1 victory against Las Palmas on Thursday.
Xavi Hernandez’s team was in desperate need of a win following successful outings by league leaders Real Madrid and Girona the day before. The win narrowed the gap to seven points between Barcelona and the top two teams.
Athletic Bilbao claimed the fourth spot with a solid 2-0 victory over Sevilla earlier on Thursday, while Atletico Madrid slipped to fifth place after a thrilling 4-3 defeat by Girona.
Barcelona faced tough competition from mid-table Las Palmas, who took the lead in the 12th minute through former Blaugrana striker Munir El Haddadi. Ferran Torres equalized for Barcelona in the second half, and Gundogan secured the win with a penalty after being fouled in the box.
“In the first half, they had two or three chances, but in the second half, they only had a corner,” Xavi commented to Movistar. “I think our substitutions made a difference.”
Barcelona’s performance improved in the second half, with Torres leveling the game swiftly. Xavi made strategic substitutions, bringing on Joao Felix, Lamine Yamal, and newcomer Vitor Roque in search of the winning goal, removing veteran forward Robert Lewandowski.
📸 Presenting the @WhiteBit Winning Photos of the Game! #LasPalmasBarça pic.twitter.com/XwDFk4E7pN
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 4, 2024
“Ferran always performs well for us,” Xavi added. “There’s a lot of competition up top, and there will be minutes for all the players.”
Las Palmas, coached by Francisco Garcia Pimienta, former manager of Barcelona’s reserve side, posed a significant challenge for the visitors. Joao Cancelo’s early injury was a setback for Barcelona, but Xavi reassured that it didn’t seem too serious.
Munir scored the opening goal from a low cross by Sandro Ramirez, causing Barcelona difficulties in the first half. The visitors struggled to connect, with Frenkie de Jong’s chance for Sergi Roberto thwarted by former Barca player Mika Marmol.
Barcelona’s performance improved after the break, with Torres equalizing and Roque making an impact in the final minutes. The decisive moment came when Daley Sinkgraven fouled Gundogan in the box, resulting in a penalty that Gundogan converted, securing Barcelona’s title defense.
Roque missed an opportunity to seal the victory, but Barcelona left the match triumphant and relieved.
“We knew they were an opponent that wanted the ball, we were on top, and the important thing is that we got the three points,” Torres shared with Movistar. “They played with a high line, and we had to attack the spaces — we lacked timing with our final ball.”
In another notable match, Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Bilbao impressed with a 2-0 victory over Sevilla, securing goals from Mikel Vesga and Aitor Paredes. The win propelled Athletic Bilbao, while Sevilla, under new coach Quique Sanchez Flores, remained in 16th place, just one point above the relegation zone.
