Sergi Roberto and Robert Lewandowski were on target as Barcelona restored their eight-point lead at the top of LaLiga with a 2-0 win over Cadiz at Camp Nou on Sunday.
Both goals came late in the first half. Roberto broke the deadlock after good work from Ferran Torres before Lewandowski scored his 15th league goal of the season with a good strike from the edge of the box.
Substitutes Chris Ramos and Anthony Lozano both came close to pulling one back after the break for Cadiz and Cadiz also had two goals disallowed, but Barca comfortably held on to stretch their unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 games.
Rapid reaction
1. Barcelona don’t skip a beat amid squad rotation
With injuries accumulating, Barca coach Xavi Hernandez will have been pleased with how a much-changed side picked up three points against Cadiz. He made six changes to the side that drew with Manchester United in the Europa League and was later able to rest Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong with the second leg at Old Trafford on Thursday in mind.
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Two goals just before the break meant Barca could ease up in the second period. Roberto, one of the players to come into the team, had already drawn one save from Jeremias Ledesma when he benefitted from a terrific Torres run to open the scoring. Lewandowski then scored a much-needed goal. He’s struggled to hit top form since the World Cup and was goalless in three games. Still, his goal here took him to 24 for the season in all competitions in just 29 appearances. Only the crossbar denied him a second goal later.
Cadiz rallied after the break. Roger Marti had a goal ruled out, as he had done in the first half, and Sergio Gonzalez’s side may feel they created enough chances to at least pull one goal back. But Barca remained relatively in control and, after seeing Real Madrid beat Osasuna on Saturday, ensured their eight-point pre-weekend gap remains in place.
2. Torres proves his worth for Barcelona
In his first start in exactly a month, Ferran Torres reminded Barca why they paid around €50 million to sign him from Manchester City a year ago. Torres was exhilarating in the first half, taking on Cadiz left-back Santiago Arzamendia time and again to great effect.
He shot just wide in the 22nd minute and then created a great chance for Lewandowski in the 41st before setting up the opener moments later. After picking up the ball on the right, he beat three Cadiz players — Arzamendia, Ruben Alcaraz and Fali — before crossing for Lewandowski. The Polish striker’s header was saved but Roberto turned him the rebound. It was the first goal in LaLiga this season to feature three consecutive take-ons by a single player, Torres, in the goal scoring possession.
