By Barcelona suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Las Palmas at the Camp Nou on Saturday, marking the first home defeat of the season for the La Liga leaders. Despite the setback, the Catalan club remains atop the Spanish league with 34 points from 15 games, though their lead over second-placed Real Madrid has now been trimmed to four points. Real Madrid, with two fewer matches played, can overtake Barcelona if they win their upcoming fixtures.
Under new head coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona had been enjoying a strong start to the season, with impressive victories over rivals Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in domestic and European competitions, respectively. The team had won all eight of their home games before the loss to Las Palmas, but the defeat extends their winless run in La Liga to three matches. Prior to this, Barcelona had fallen 1-0 to Real Sociedad and played out a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo.
Las Palmas, currently in mid-table, took the lead in the 49th minute through a well-executed counterattack. Sandro RamĂrez, a former Barcelona youth player, finished off a sweeping move that started from Las Palmas’ own penalty box. The goal came after Barcelona had been caught high up the pitch, allowing Las Palmas to capitalize on the space.
Barcelona responded in the 61st minute, with Raphinha leveling the score at 1-1. The Brazilian forward took a quick pass from Pedri just outside the box, maneuvered around a defender, and fired a shot between two Las Palmas players to beat goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen. Raphinha’s goal was his ninth in La Liga this season, keeping him second behind teammate Robert Lewandowski, who has scored 15 goals.
Despite Raphinha’s best efforts, Las Palmas regained the lead in the 67th minute. Fábio Silva pounced on a pass from Javi Muñoz and fired a shot past Barcelona goalkeeper Iñaki Peña, sending the ball into the corner of the net. The goal left Barcelona struggling to find an equalizer, and despite late pressure, they were unable to break down Las Palmas’ defense.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who had been sidelined for three weeks with an ankle injury, returned as a second-half substitute but was unable to make a decisive impact. Cillessen made a crucial save late in the match, denying Raphinha’s free kick and preserving Las Palmas’ lead.
With the defeat, Barcelona now faces increased pressure as they look to regain their form. While the team remains in first place, the loss serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of the league, especially with Real Madrid breathing down their necks.
