Jeremy Mathieu secured victory for Barcelona
Barcelona maintained their four point lead at the top of La Liga thanks
to Jeremy Mathieu who scored the only goal in their 1-0 win at Celta
Vigo on Sunday (5th April).
Jeremy Mathieu scored a late header to give Barcelona all three points from a testing encounter at Celta Vigo in La Liga on Sunday.
The French defender out-muscled his marker at the far post to head home Xavi's free-kick in the 75th minute, just two weeks after nodding in the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Real Madrid.
Barcelona struggled for large parts of the game against coach Luis Enrique's former club - who were reduced to 10 men in the closing minutes as Fabian Orellana was shown a straight red card for throwing a piece of turf at Sergio Busquets - but they remained four points clear of Real Madrid at the top.
Celta were the first team to beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp this season and they nearly took the lead after 10 minutes at Estadio de Balaidos, with Claudio Bravo diving across his goal to keep out a low, driven effort from Joaquin Larrivey, the man who scored the only goal of the game back in November.
Lionel Messi produced Barcelona's best moment of the first half, teasing his way past several Celta players on the edge of the area before firing at Sergio Alvarez.
The goalkeeper did well to parry the Argentinian's shot although Neymar should have turned in the rebound, but could not keep his shot under the crossbar.
Celta's Nolito missed the target early in the second half, but Dani Alves was left looking far more embarrassed when he scuffed a clear chance to score at the far post.
With Celta successfully blocking Barca's attempts to score from open play, Barca eventually found a way through from a set-piece.
Substitute Xavi swung the dead ball to the far post and Mathieu escaped the grasp of marker Andreu Fontas and stretched out to head the ball under the bar from close range.
Then Orellana was given his marching orders for his bizarre confrontation with Busquets.
Messi should then have wrapped up the game, but he chipped over the bar with just Alvarez to beat.
The hosts kept pushing for an equaliser until the final whistle, but could not find a way through.
Jeremy Mathieu scored a late header to give Barcelona all three points from a testing encounter at Celta Vigo in La Liga on Sunday.
The French defender out-muscled his marker at the far post to head home Xavi's free-kick in the 75th minute, just two weeks after nodding in the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Real Madrid.
Barcelona struggled for large parts of the game against coach Luis Enrique's former club - who were reduced to 10 men in the closing minutes as Fabian Orellana was shown a straight red card for throwing a piece of turf at Sergio Busquets - but they remained four points clear of Real Madrid at the top.
Celta were the first team to beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp this season and they nearly took the lead after 10 minutes at Estadio de Balaidos, with Claudio Bravo diving across his goal to keep out a low, driven effort from Joaquin Larrivey, the man who scored the only goal of the game back in November.
Lionel Messi produced Barcelona's best moment of the first half, teasing his way past several Celta players on the edge of the area before firing at Sergio Alvarez.
The goalkeeper did well to parry the Argentinian's shot although Neymar should have turned in the rebound, but could not keep his shot under the crossbar.
Celta's Nolito missed the target early in the second half, but Dani Alves was left looking far more embarrassed when he scuffed a clear chance to score at the far post.
With Celta successfully blocking Barca's attempts to score from open play, Barca eventually found a way through from a set-piece.
Substitute Xavi swung the dead ball to the far post and Mathieu escaped the grasp of marker Andreu Fontas and stretched out to head the ball under the bar from close range.
Then Orellana was given his marching orders for his bizarre confrontation with Busquets.
Messi should then have wrapped up the game, but he chipped over the bar with just Alvarez to beat.
The hosts kept pushing for an equaliser until the final whistle, but could not find a way through.
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