© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Pedri’s 18th-minute goal helped Barcelona to squeeze past Villarreal 1-0 on Sunday.
It was the 16th clean sheet for Barcelona in 21 league matches this season. It was the third straight loss for eighth-place Villarreal, which has only one win in its last six matches in all competitions.
Barcelona was playing without captain Sergio Busquets and winger Ousmane Dembélé because of injuries. Xavi used midfielder Frenkie de Jong and forward Raphinha in their places.
“There is nothing decided yet, there is still a lot of league left,” Barcelona coach Xavi said. “But we are happy because we are on a great run, doing things well.”
Barcelona next hosts Manchester United in the Europa League on Thursday.
Depay stars for Atletico
Memphis Depay’s 88th minute strike helped 10-man Atletico Madrid beat Celta Vigo 1-0.
Depay scored from inside the area for his first goal with Atletico since arriving in a transfer from Barcelona in January.
Oblak made two outstanding stops after Savic was sent off, including a reflex save on the goal line in the 85th.
Atletico were reduced to 10 men in the 70th minute when last man Stefan Savic wrestled Celta forward Haris Seferovic to the ground at the edge of the box when he was through on goal.
It was Savic’s third red card in his last five appearances for Atletico but Diego Simeone’s side earned a reprieve when Aspas’s free kick came off the crossbar.
Atletico opened a four-point gap to fifth-place Betis with its third win in four league matches. Celta, which was coming off two straight wins, dropped to 14th.
“It was a tough match, we knew Celta was going through a good moment,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.
“In the end, Oblak helped us again and Memphis came through in a very important match for us.”
Napoli beat Cremonese 3-0
Victor Osimhen and Elif Elmas wrapped up the points in the second half as Napoli beat Cremonese 3-0 on Sunday to avenge its Italian Cup defeat.
Osimhen had scored in his last five matches and he made it six straight with probably the easiest of his 17 league goals this season.
Napoli took the lead in the 21st minute through winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who kept the ball from going off the pitch and went on to finish his solo effort with a low shot into the bottom right corner.
Striker Victor Osimhen doubled their advantage shortly after the hour mark from close range, scoring in his sixth league game in a row to make it eight goals in 2023.
Elmas netted in the 79th, with an angled drive into the far bottom corner, eight minutes after coming off the bench.
Napoli are 16 points above second-placed Inter Milan, who travel to Sampdoria on Monday.
Cremonese, who are still without a league win this season, remain bottom of the standings on eight points.
