Real Madrid, who have gone and play later in the day, are top of the table, 15 points ahead of Xavi’s side. Nicolas Gonzalez, 19, and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, 19, were the visitors’ two goalscorers, respectively.
But Ezequiel Avila and David Garcia came back twice to ensure that the hosts earned a merited point from the match. For all the latest Singapore pools sports football updates, news, and coverage, read on.
Osasuna snatches a late draw against Barcelona
The Catalans were hoping to avenge their recent setbacks by Bayern Munich and Real Betis in this match.
Midfielder Gonzalez gave them the perfect start, rushing onto Gavi’s excellent ball and poking past home stopper Sergio Herrera to earn his first score for the club.
Luuk de Jong was left isolated in the Barca forward line for most of the first quarter as a result of Barca’s lengthy injury list and Garcia headed in an equalizer just two minutes later after such a non-existent defense from a set-piece.
Nevertheless, lots of SGpool outlets have covered that they improved after the interval, as Ezzalzouli converted Ousmane Dembele’s cross after a driving run. It appeared as if they were on the verge of securing a much-needed victory when Avila blasted in from the corner of the penalty area with the ticking clock.
With Real Madrid taking on Atletico Madrid at 20:00 GMT on Sunday, Barcelona may be 18 points behind Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
Xavi’s awful week gets a little better with a late equalizer from Avila
Pamplona was the final straw for Barcelona, who let a three-point lead over Osasuna slip away by a solitary goal.
The Catalans had already taken the lead twice, but Xavi’s club has yet to recover from their Europa League relegation. It was a surprising turn of events for all those keeping a close eye on the Singaporepool odds.
In the 12th minute, Gavi’s wonderful pass was controlled by Nico Gonzalez and he poked the ball into the back of the net. David Garcia, on the other hand, equalized for the visitors just two minutes later. Following an impressive display against Samuel Umtiti, Xavi started him in the three-man backline in the 3-4-4 formation with the box midfielder.
On his first game of the season, the Frenchman had a poor showing and a few Barcelona players also did. It included Ez Abde, who scored early in the next half to put Barcelona back in front. Ousmane Dembele’s cross set up Abde’s goal, which he completed brilliantly.
Philippe Coutinho came on as a substitute after he was taken off with cramps in the second half. Chimy Avila’s blocked effort from out of the box leveled the score, allowing Barcelona to finish ninth.
The fans’ reactions were priceless
Osasuna’s Roberto Torres struck a penalty kick to earn a 2-2 tie for the Catalans in their La Liga debut. Torres’ volley at the far post was enough for the Blaugrana to crumble after just seven minutes of play.
Unsurprisingly, several Singapore Pools sports fans, especially Barcelona fans, were anxious by the team’s dismal start. Neymar’s return to Catalonia was greeted with open arms by a few of them.
However, not all Blaugrana supporters are eager to see the Brazilian again. Some of the champions’ supporters started turning on the coaching staff and the players as the break approached.
Teenage sensation Ansu Fati had a golden opportunity to be the savior in Pamplona, where established team players were suffering. However, not everyone was looking forward to his appearance.
After Fati’s first Barça goal, the boos subsided and Arthur completed the reversal in less than a couple of hours. Osasuna was handed a late penalty after Gerard Pique’s obvious handball, with that man Torres going to step up to equalize.
Although Ernesto Valverde‘s supporters brought up the idea of defending the 55-year-old, one fan pointed out that it doesn’t reflect well on the head coach. In spite of this, his detractors came out in full force.
So, a disappointing result from Barcelona to go with a disappointing title defense from the Catalans. When they return to Valencia in less than a week, they will be hoping for better.