Pedri‘s first-part purpose gave Barcelona a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo at Camp Nou on Sunday to transport them again to the highest of LaLiga.
Barca are stage on 22 issues with Real Madrid after 8 video games, however have the simpler purpose distinction earlier than the pair face every different subsequent Sunday in El Clasico on the Santiago Bernabeu.
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It was once the 7th consecutive league win for Barcelona, who began smartly with Gavi and Raphinha operating the channels and growing a number of scoring alternatives.
Celta’s Argentine goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin made an improbable save within the tenth minute with the end of his left hand to stay out a super lengthy-vary shot from Raphinha.
However, he was once overwhelmed seven mins later via Pedri‘s shut-vary strike from a rebound after capitalising on an error via defender Unai Nunez who attempted to transparent Gavi’s pass.
Teenage sensation Pedri was once once more readily available to seek out the online, having scored 8 targets from 16 photographs on the right track in LaLiga, scoring with every of his closing 4.
Celta seemed significantly better after the smash, taking keep watch over of the ball and growing a number of probabilities, however have been denied via goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
“Two weeks ago we were dependent on [Robert] Lewandowski and now it’s Ter Stegen,” Barca trainer Xavi mentioned after the fit. “Marc is an extraordinary goalkeeper, but we depend on the whole team, to win, to score, to keep clean sheets.”
The Germany global prolonged his blank-sheet streak in LaLiga to 6 video games, whilst he has no longer conceded a purpose in seven of Barca’s 8 league video games this season.
Celta made a past due push however Ter Stegen made 3 sensible safes to disclaim Celta an equaliser — two of them past due on.
First he stopped a one-on-one strike from Iago Aspas together with his proper foot after which, in added time, deflected an in depth-vary header via Carles Perez moments earlier than Gonzalo Paciencia smashed a thundering strike off the correct put up.
“We need to be self-critical today, we have to be much better than we were today,” Xavi mentioned. “Our team played well in the first 30 minutes, could have scored more goals, but they were better than us in the second half.
“But football is like this, it is laborious to win and vital to win video games like this, while you aren’t at your best possible and the competitors come up with a difficult time.”
Despite the looming top-of-table match against Real Madrid next Sunday, Xavi said his team would focus on their upcoming crunch Champions League match against Inter Milan in midweek.
“Now I’m making ready for Inter,” Xavi said. “We must savour those 3 issues as a result of they’re vital stay us most sensible. The Clasico is unpredictable. Last yr we went into badly and finally end up profitable 4-0. We will attempt to win and display personality like we did closing season.”
After Celta’s good start to the first part of the season, they have lost three of their last four league games and are 11th on 10 points, four above the relegation zone.
“I feel we deserved greater than only one level, we deserved to win,” Celta captain Aspas told DAZN. “We had an ideal 2nd part, had 5 or 6 nice scoring probabilities, however the standard is to lose right here.”