April 19, (THEWILL) – Cadiz won a stunning 1-0 victory at Camp Nou on Monday night, as Barcelona failed to recover from their shock Europa League loss last week.
They conceded just after halftime as Lucas Perez struck, capitalising on some bad Barça defence to earn the visitors all three points and enhance their La Liga survival hopes.
Early on, Ousmane Dembele came close to scoring after rushing into the area and seeing his shot palmed away by Jeremias Ledesma into the path of Ferran Torres, but the Spain international’s poke was also saved by the goalkeeper.
The hosts dominated possession but were caught off guard as Alex Fernandez put Ruben Sobrino through on goal on the counter. He squared it for Perez, who was only able to slice his attempt wide.
Dembele drove Barcelona forward once more, but his decision to shoot rather than pass to Frenkie de Jong after inside the box left the Dutchman with his head in his hands.
Then, the hosts were caught off guard by a Cadiz team that thrives on causing upsets. Sobrino’s attempt was saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen after a beautiful Salvi Sanchez cross. Perez eventually got his hands on the rebound and blasted into an open net from close range.
Dembele appeared to be the most likely to bring Barça level once more, with his thunderous long-range shot forcing a good save from Ledesma. Gavi had the opportunity to follow in on the rebound, but he could not get his feet sorted out fast enough.
Barça have now lost their last two games after an excellent run of form. They have had only one win in their previous four games.
After a thrilling victory over Sevilla on Sunday, Real Madrid is one step closer to reclaiming the La Liga crown. Barça is still in second place, tied with Sevilla on points but with a better goal difference and a game in hand. Cadiz, on the other hand, has risen to 16th place in Spain’s first division as they attempt to avoid relegation.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
