Toothless Barcelona suffer second La Liga loss

Spanish La Liga leaders Barcelona couldn’t find a way past a resolute defense and slumped to a 1-0 defeat to struggling Almeria on Sunday.

FULL TIME! 🔚

Almería has secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over @FCBarcelona! 💪

El Bilal Touré ⚽️#AlmeríaBarça | #LaLiga | #VamosAlmeria 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/bgqpyYQ5Pj

— UD Almería (@UDAlmeria_Eng) February 26, 2023

Breakout star El Bilal Toure continued an excellent debut season in Spain with a brilliant goal 24 minutes into the first-half, which lifted Almeria out of the bottom three.

The 21-year-old Mali international, who joined Almeria from French club Reims last September, 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.

The loss – Barsa’s second of the season, means that Xavi Hernandez’s side failed to extend their seven-point lead at the top.

Earlier this week, Barcelona were knocked out of Europa League at the hands of Manchester United.