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Llevant UD – FC Barcelona: Out of luck in Valencia (1-1) | FC Barcelona
The first of the three games Barça play against Levante over the next ten days ended in a draw in Valencia. Barça had the chances, particularly in the second half, but an inspired performance from the home keeper Keylor Navas meant the points were shared, with Vyntra opening for Levante early on and Pique equalising soon after.
Messi says FC Barcelona were unlucky against Levante | FC Barcelona
"It’s a shame, we did everything possible to win but they closed themselves off at the back and they didn’t give us any space." Messi went on to say that Barça did everything within their power to secure the three points: "It’s a difficult stadium to play in, but we tried. We did enough to deserve the win, we just lacked a bit of luck."
Tata Martino laments FC Barcelona's lack of accuracy against Levante | FC Barcelona
Gerardo Martino said that Barça played "to win the match and play good football" in the post-match press conference held at the Ciutat Esportiva. "The result isn’t what we came here for nor was it what we deserved," he added. The Argentinian manager also noted that "we were not fortunate in front of goal" and that the rest of the season will bring about "many more surprises. I think the remaining 18 rounds of the season will show that."
90 years of cup games against Levante | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona’s next opponent in the Copa del Rey will be Levante. It’ll be the fourth time the two teams with almost identical kit have met in the competition, the overall balance being five wins for Barça, two draws and two defeats, with the Catalans advancing on all but one occasion.
Azulgrana RoundUp, January 11-19 | FC Barcelona
"I always enjoyed being a defender, but in the Barça sense of the position – defending, yes, but with the ability and technique to dictate play from the back and occasionally get involved in attack. I haven’t changed in that respect," said Gerard Piqué in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report.
Barça B – Mirandés: Draw at the Miniestadi (1-1) | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona B cruised in their previous league match but his weekend saw the Blaugrana draw against Mirandés. Barça took the lead thanks to a goal from Edu Bedia, but the visitors scored the equaliser two minutes later thanks to a strike from Igor Martínez. The second half wasn’t as intense as the first and the heavy rain at the Miniestadi hampered both teams’ attempts to win the game.
Atlético miss chance to move top after draw with Sevilla - Yahoo Eurosport UK
Atletico Madrid missed the chance to claim top spot in La Liga, failing to make the most of Barcelona’s earlier slip-up at Levante with a 1-1 draw with Sevilla. The reigning champions looked to have lost ground in the title race with a 1-1 draw with Levante earlier in the day, but Diego Simeone’s side could only match their result to put them level with Barca.
Villarreal move up to fourth | Sky Sports Football
Ikechukwu Uche scored the opening goal in the third minute with Bruno Soriano making sure of the win with a late penalty after Jonathan Pereira was brought down by Rafita. The result means Villarreal leapfrogged Athletic Bilbao into the Champions League qualifying spot, although the Biscay club are yet to play this weekend and will host Real Valladolid on Monday.
Getafe battle back for draw | Sky Sports Football
Getafe fought their way back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Real Sociedad and even survived playing the final half-hour with 10 men. Two headed goals from Imanol Agirretxe gave the Basque side an early lead but the hosts, helped by a soaked pitch which limited La Real's ability to move the ball around, responded with goals by Ciprian Marica and Pedro Leon.
Juan Carlos Garrido sacked after 48 days by Real Betis - ESPN FC
"The club has decided to dispense with his services. The coach, who has not achieved the desired results, will not lead the team tomorrow. The intention of the board is that the new coach, who arrives tonight, will immediately take over the team. Later on Sunday, former Betis player Gabriel Humberto Calderon was confirmed as the club's third boss of the season.
