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Jordi Alba (left) had fired the visitors in the half hour in front of him (Alvaro Barrientos / AP / Press Association Images)
From PA Sport Staff
Barcelona continued their impressive form with a 2: 0 win in Osasuna and beat La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.
Jordi Alba put the visitors ahead in the 30th minute and youthful substitute Ilaix Moriba added a late second for his first goal in Barcelona It was a fourth league win in five games for Ronald Koeman’s side who kept the pressure at the top – now just two points behind Atletico ahead of Sunday’s derby against Real Madrid.
Koeman took two Changes from the side that secured their place in the Copa Del Rey final on Wednesday after defeating Sevilla. Samuel Umtiti and Antoine Griezmann came into play.
Osasuna tested Marc-Andre Ter Stegen in the 15th minute when the Barca goalkeeper overturned Kike Barja’s curling attempt.
The home team appeared after just 21 Minutes of having been reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Sergio Herrera showed a red card after a handball outside the penalty area when Lionel Messi tried to bypass him.
However, the decision was reviewed by VAR, with Messi under construction as Was classified aside, which is why Herrera was exonerated.
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Jordi Alba gave Barcelona the lead and clung to a long pass from Lionel Messi (Alvaro Barrientos / Press Association Images).
Barcelona broke the impasse in the half hour when a long-range pass from Messi located Jordi Alba as he ran to the left side of the Osasuna box to fire an angled drive into the top of the net.
Ter Stegen had to be vigilant again in the 34th minute to push Ruben Garcia’s shot over the goal before Messi rolled a shot just past the end of the corner.
Messi, who scored 20 goals for a 13th LaLiga campaign in Wanting to score, Herrera forced action with a 25-yard stake.
When the hour wore on, Barca were clear, but Griezmann’s shot hit defender Aridane Hernandez straight from the edge of the box. The French striker was soon replaced by Martin Braithwaite.
Osasuna came close to equalizing in the 70th minute when Jonathan Calleri’s header fell off Garcia’s cross.
With eight minutes remaining, Messi Moriba put on the edge of the penalty area and the 18-year-old threw a nice left foot into the top corner.
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