Established 1961 15 Sports Sunday, December 3, 2017 Barca slip in Celta thriller offers Real, Atletico hope

Sensational pass from Messi was smashed home by Suarez

MADRID: Celta Vigo breathed life into ’s title race becoming the first team this season to take points off Barcelona at Matches on TV the Nou Camp in a thrilling 2-2 draw yes- (Local Timings) terday. Iago Aspas gave Celta an early lead, but an inspired display from Lionel ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Messi appeared to have earned Barca another three points as he immediately Bournemouth v Southampton 16:30 equalised and then helped tee up Luis beIN SPORTS HD 2 Suarez to put the hosts 2-1 in front. Manchester City v West Ham United 19:00 However, the excellent Aspas set up beIN SPORTS HD 2 Maxi Gomez 20 minutes from time as Barca centre-back Samuel Umtiti suffered SPANISH LEAGUE what could be a costly injury. Barca’s slip- Leganes v Villarreal 14:00 up is a boost for Real Madrid and Atletico beIN SPORTS HD 3 Madrid, who can close to within six points Getafe v Valencia 18:15 with victories over Athletic Bilbao and Real beIN SPORTS HD 3 Sociedad respectively later. Eibar v Espanyol 20:30 Celta have been a bogey side for Barca beIN SPORTS HD 3 in recent years, beating the Catalans once Las Palmas v Real Betis 22:45 in each of the past three seasons. And a beIN SPORTS HD 3 positive start from the Galicians on Celta boss Juan Carlos Unzue’s return to the ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE Camp Nou, where he spent three years as Benevento v Milan 14:30 Luis Enrique’s assistant, was rewarded 20 beIN SPORTS HD 4 minutes in. Aspas sprung Barca’s offside Bologna v Cagliari Calcio 17:00 trap and crossed for the unmarked Gomez beIN SPORTS HD 7 who was denied by an incredible save by Fiorentina v Sassuolo Calcio 17:00 Marc-Andre ter Stegen. However, the beIN SPORTS HD 1 rebound fell for Aspas to slot home his Internazionale Milano v Chievo Verona 17:00 ninth goal of the season. beIN SPORTS HD 4 Celta’s lead lasted two minutes, though, Sampdoria v Lazio 22:45 as Messi latched onto Paulinho’s pass to beIN SPORTS HD 4 fire low under Ruben Blanco for his first goal since late October. Messi then took GERMAN BUNDESLIGA control of the game as Barca pressed to go Hertha Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt 17:30 ahead before half-time. BARCELONA: FC Barcelona’s Paulinho, center, duels for the ball against Celta Vigo’s goalkeeper Ruben Blanco, left, during a beIN SPORTS HD 5 A sensational pass from the Argentine Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Celta Vigo at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, yesterday. — AP Wolfsburg v Borussia Monchengladbach 20:00 was smashed home by Suarez, only for the beIN SPORTS HD 5 Uruguayan to be wrongly flagged offside. Messi then hit the outside of the post and when great work by Messi and chased Aspas down the right and the Gerard Pique hit the outside of the post FRENCH LEAGUE Paulinho headed too close to Ruben Blanco teed up Suarez for his first goal at the Spanish international then patiently picked from another defence-splitting Messi pass. Saint Etienne v Nantes 17:00 from Ivan Rakitic’s pinpoint cross. Camp Nou in nearly three months. out Gomez to fire into an unguarded net. Unfortunately for Barca, Messi’s best beIN SPORTS HD 6 Paulinho had an even better chance at Blanco then kept Celta in the game with Thomas Vermaelen was brought on for chance of a winner was with his head as he Caen v 19:00 the start of the second period when he a sensational stop from Messi’s close- Umtiti, who has shone this season but nodded wide when Denis Suarez’s blocked beIN SPORTS HD 6 rounded Blanco only to fire into the side- range header. An end-to-end encounter could now miss Barca’s El Clasico trip to shot fell his way. Yet, Barca also had their Montpellier v Olympique Marseille 23:00 netting. It seemed a matter of time before swung back Celta’s way in a double blow Real Madrid on December 23. It was goalie to thank as Ter Stegen’s out- beIN SPORTS HD 6 Celta’s resistence was broken and Barca’s for Barca. Umtiti pulled up with what Barca’s other stalwart centre-back who stretched hand denied Pione Sisto the win- second duly arrived just after the hour looked like a hamstring problem as he should have restored the hosts’ lead when ner two minutes from time. — AFP