Atletico Madrid moved top of La Liga on Sunday night as Celta Vigo edged Barcelona in a 4-3 thriller, whilst Real Madrid’s run of draws stretched to four against Eibar. Three goals in 11 first-half minutes sentenced a Barca side once again without the injured Lionel Messi as Pione Sisto, Iago Aspas and a Jeremy Mathieu own goal put Celta in command. Gerard Pique and a Neymar penalty reduced Barca’s deficit.
However, a Marc-Andre ter Stegen howler teed up Pablo Hernandez to restore Celta’s two-goal lead before Pique headed in his second late on. Real Madrid remain two points ahead of the champions, but were booed off at the Santiago Bernabeu after a 1-1 draw against the Basque minnows.
Atletico lead their city rivals on goal difference at the top of the table despite missing two penalties as Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro netted in a 2-0 win at Valencia.
Barca boss Luis Enrique’s heaviest defeat in charge came in a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Celta last season and the former Celta coach suffered another embarrassing return to Balaidos. “I can’t be satisfied because we have thrown away the opportunity to go top before the international break,” said Enrique. “We were clearly inferior in the first-half.”
Former Liverpool striker Aspas did most of the damage as Sisto slotted home the opener from his superb through ball. Aspas then drilled the second into the far corner and it was under pressure from the Celta striker that Mathieu turned Daniel Wass’s excellent cross into his own net.
Enrique introduced Andres Iniesta on his 600th Barca appearance for the second-half and his presence transformed the Catalans after the break. Pique headed home Iniesta’s cross to give the visitors hope and a brilliant pass into Andre Gomes provoked a penalty just after the hour, which Neymar converted.
However, all of Barca’s good work was undone when Ter Stegen chipped the ball into the path of the onrushing Pablo Hernandez to head into an unguarded net. Pique set up a grandstand finish three minutes from time and the centre-back was inches away from an incredible hat-trick when he glanced a header wide in stoppage time. Enrique made no excuses after the loss. “We weren’t at the right level apart from in the first 15 minutes.
We kept on losing battles and they anticipated our mistakes. We did not cause them any problems. When you go 3-0 down to Celta at halftime you can have no excuses.”
The coach said he took full responsibility for the chaotic display but said he had no regrets about his team selection. “I have nothing to regret. The most disappointed person after a defeat like this is me but it’s my job to take decisions,” he added at the news conference.
Enrique offered Ter Stegen his support. “The Barcelona goalkeeper should always take risks but today is not the game to criticise individuals. Ter Stegen gives us a lot and we’re not going to kill him for this,” he said.