Barcelona held 1-1 by Cadiz in Lionel Messi’s record 506th league game

Cádiz snatched a late penalty to attract 1-1 at Camp Nou and deal Barcelona an surprising setback in its bid for the Spanish league title on Sunday.

5 days after being crushed 4-1 by Paris Saint-Germain within the Champions League, Ronald Koeman’s facet noticed two factors slip away when substitute Álex Fernández transformed an 88th-minute penalty conceded by Clement Lenglet.

Lionel Messi appeared to place Barcelona on its method to a straightforward win in his membership report 506th league look in Spain. However after Messi scored from the penalty spot within the thirty second minute, Barcelona was unable to complete off many scoring probabilities.

The draw leaves Barcelona in third place at eight factors behind chief Atlético Madrid, which misplaced 2-0 to Levante on Saturday. Actual Madrid was the largest beneficiary of the spherical, transferring three factors behind Atlético after profitable 1-0 at Valladolid additionally on Saturday. Madrid has performed yet another match than Atlético and Barcelona.

“These are two onerous blows this week,” Barcelona defender Gerard Pique mentioned after the slip to Cádiz on the heels of tolerating a hat trick by PSG star Kylian Mbappe on Tuesday within the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 match.

“There’s a method to go within the league, however we didn’t rely on this. If we are able to get on an excellent run of play and get good outcomes, we are able to nonetheless have a shot. It will be tough,¨ Pique mentioned.

Cádiz, which got here up from the second division this season, upset Barcelona 2-1 in early December when Koeman’s facet was nonetheless discovering its approach beneath the brand new coach. Since then, Barcelona has not misplaced within the league and arrived on the recreation on a seven-game profitable streak within the league.

Barcelona had 80% of possession and out-shot Cádiz 20-3. However a careless foul by Lenglet — when he kicked Rubén Sobrino within the leg whereas attempting to clear a ball on the sting of the realm — ruined a robust efficiency that solely lacked a second purpose.

“I’m very, very dissatisfied, much more than on Tuesday,” Koeman mentioned. “We have been on an excellent run within the league, and we had a recreation at residence with the prospect to chop into the lead of these forward of us. It’s a recreation that this group, with its expertise, has to win.”

Pedri González arrange Messi’s purpose when he was fouled by Isaac Carcelén. Messi rolled his kick to the left facet of the web after goalkeeper Jeremías Ledesma had already given his intentions away.

Cádiz central defender Fali tracked Messi all match lengthy and did properly to restrict his affect. A well timed contact early within the recreation deflected Messi’s shot large after Sergio Busquets had performed him clear. Ledesma additionally did properly to get low and poke away a move by Messi that was destined for Antoine Griezmann to push in for a second purpose.

It then fell to Fernández, the brother of Actual Madrid defender Nacho Fernández, to seize Cádiz´s first level at Camp Nou since 1978.

¨At the moment this was all about Cádiz, but when I will help my brother out then it’s all the higher,¨ Fernández mentioned.

Xavi Hernández had held the mark of 505 league appearances for Barcelona.

ISAK HAT TRICK

Aleksander Isak scored three objectives to guide Actual Sociedad to a 4-0 rout of Alavés and bounce again from its 4-0 loss to Manchester United within the Europa League.

David Silva assisted on Isak’s second purpose and once more for Portu to spherical off the victory with a fourth purpose.

Isak leads Sociedad with 12 league objectives this season. It was his second profession hat trick.

Later Sunday, Villarreal visits Athletic Bilbao whereas Granada is at Huesca.