Toure Scores As Barcelona Suffer Just Their Second LaLiga Loss Of The Season
Almeria stunned La Liga leaders Barcelona with a 1-0 win that lifts them out of the bottom three.
Breakout star El Bilal Toure continued an excellent debut season in Spain with a brilliant goal 24 minutes into the first-half.
The Mali international chested down a long ball, laid it off and immediately raced in behind to receive the return ball. Taking back possession, he drove into the Barcelona box before unleashing a thunderous strike that goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen had no hope of saving.
Manager Xavi Hernandez responded to an anaemic first-half by introducing Brazil winger Raphinha at the expense of Franck Kessie.
Xavi himself was booked for protesting the award of a goal-kick when he thought his side were owed a corner.
Barcelona dominated possession but after 70 minutes had still not managed a single shot on target.
Ronald Araujo was sent on as an emergency centre forward, but not until the 82nd minute did second-half substitute Angel Alarcon get Barcelona’s first shot on goal.
The defeat was Barcelona’s first in La Liga since the mid-October Clasico loss to Real Madrid – a 13 game run – but also marked consecutive losses following their mid-week Europa League exit at the hands of Manchester United.
