2022/23 La Liga Matchday 7 Highlights: Barcelona on top as Real Madrid’s perfect streak ends
After International Break, La Liga 2022/23 is back with matchday 7. Here are the highlights of the weekend’s games with lots of twists. Click here for more La Liga news and updates
Mallorca 0-1 Barcelona: Top of the standings Robert Lewandowski’s inevitable scoring form helped Barcelona beat Mallorca 1-0 and reach the top of the table.
The Polish striker scored his ninth goal in the league and it was enough to seal the victory.
The Catalan club took a trip to Mallorca without Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde and Hector Bellerin, all because of injuries.
Xavi Hernandez picked Alejandro Balde, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba for the starting XI.
The visitors needed 20 minutes to open the scoring. Ansu Fati’s pass was collected by Lewandowski and he unleashed a fine shot into the bottom corner. In all competitions, Lewa scored 12 goals.
But it would be unfair to ignore another sublime performance of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, as Barca’s keeper was in his top form when he broke his own record.
The German made some crucial saves against Jaume Costa and Antonio Sanchez, also Lee Kang-in’s late shot to keep Barca’s one-goal-lead stand till the final whistle.
Stegen now broke his longest streak of clean sheets by going 534 minutes withou conceding a goal. The previous record set by him was 500 minutes.
Ter Stegen has so far conceded only one goal during La Liga 2022/23 in seven league games.
More important, the victory put Barca on top of La Liga’s standing thanks to goal difference, and this is the first time they tasted the height at the end of a MD for 833 days.
It’s safe to say that Xavi’s men have to thank Osasuna, who held off reigning champion Real Madrid in the later game. Find best offers from M88 Mansion x La Liga here.
Real Madrid 1-1 Osasuna: Honeymoon is over? Real Madrid’s honeymoon might be very well over as they dropped points for the first time this season, after the draw 1-1 vs Osasuna.
Los Blancos could have won the game if Karim Benzema had not missed the late penalty in the 80th minute.
Vinicius Jr sent the host ahead with a cross that somehow ended up in the back of the net of Osasuna’s post.
It was meant for the cross to be followed inside the penalty area, but by the time Sergio Herrera reacted, it was too late. VAR needed to clarify if Antonio Rudiger and Karim Benzema were both offside, but the goal stood.
However, Osasuna fought back and found an equalizer, only six minutes after the restart. Kike Garcia’s back header from Una Garcia’s fine cross beat Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin.
The game was tight until Benzema was taken down by David Garcia. The referee used VAR and decided it was a penalty followed by a red card for David. Benzema, who just returned from injury, stepped up but his powerful striker hit the crossbar and went all the way out.
Osasuna held on to claim a point and put a stop to La Liga 2021/22 champion’s perfect run at six victories only.
Benzema’s missed penalty turned out to be costly for Real Madrid, as they are now sitting behind Barcelona due to goal differences, despite having the same 19 points as their rivals.
Los Blancos’ fans are sweating now as their No.1 keeper Thibaut Courtois could miss the next two games. He got an injury in his leg, that’s why Lunin was put in the team sheet.
According to sources like Marca or AS, Courtois may very well return in time to face Barcelona at Bernabeu in the first El Clasico of La Liga 2022/23.
