La Liga roundup: Barcelona stunned in first-ever defeat by Almería

Barcelona wasted a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of La Liga as they were shocked 1-0 at lowly Almería on Sunday thanks to a first-half goal by El Bilal Touré.

Barcelona are top of the league on 59 points, seven ahead of second-placed Real Madrid who were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Atlético Madrid on Saturday. Almería are 15th on 25 points, two clear of the relegation zone, after their first-ever win over Sunday’s opponents.

Almería halted Barcelona’s seven-game winning streak in the league and delivered another blow to the Catalan side who, after going unbeaten in 18 matches in all competitions, have now lost two straight matches after being knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday.

The hosts were the better side in the first half and scored after 24 minutes when Luis Suárez sent a perfect long pass to Touré who was ghosting behind Barcelona’s defence. The Malian striker approached the area and hit a thunderous strike in off the crossbar.

It was only the eighth goal Barcelona have conceded in La Liga this season, the least of any team in the top five leagues in Europe.

Almería should have extended their lead but Léo Baptistão’s effort was blocked by the goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Rodrigo Ely then missed a sitter from close range, sending wide a header from a corner when he was all alone in the area.

“I’m very angry because I think we made the worst game of the season by far, mainly in the first half,” the Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez, told Movistar Plus. “We were not good and wasted a great opportunity in a match we could not afford to lose after what happened to Real Madrid.

“It was a golden opportunity today and it ended with a really bad day for us. No excuses, it was the worst showing of our side in the entire season.”

Xavi made five substitutions after the break, but Barça could not get past a disciplined Almería defence. Almería, who had won only one of their last eight matches, held on to secure the three precious points as they bid to avoid relegation.

Earlier on Sunday, Athletic Bilbao’s European qualification hopes were dented by a 3-2 home defeat to Girona.

Gabri Veiga scored twice as Celta Vigo moved further clear of the relegation zone with a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid, who ended the match with 10 men at Estadio de Balaidos.