Osasuna 0-2 FC Barcelona: Another happy away day

The day before the two Madrid clubs meet in the derby, Barça have put massive pressure on the pair of them by collecting three points from what is never an easy visit to Pamplona. Two fantastic goals did the job, and neither of them came from the most expected of sources.

The first was a brilliant finish from defender Jordi Alba, and the second was an absolute beauty from one of the latest gems to graduate from La Masia: Ilaix Moriba.

That’s eight away wins in a row for team that is now well and truly back in the hunt for a Liga title that looked as good as lost back in December.

Tight battle

It was a thoroughly entertaining game. Barça governed most of the play, but Osasuna were putting up a strong fight and had it not been for Ter Stegen, who made two particularly brilliant saves in the first half, it could have been the home side that scored first.

The Navarrans were also thrown a lifeline when Sergio Herrera pulled down Leo Messi for an obvious red card, but as the Argentinian had been marginally offside, the Osasuna keeper was let off.

Jordi Alba!

But there was no reprieve for Herrera on the half hour. Messi played into space and Jordi Alba appeared from nowhere to collect the ball. The full back was left at an awkward angle but opted to shoot anyway and… POW! The perfect strike whizzed straight past the keeper and into the back of the net.

That was his fifth goal of the season, equalling his personal best with almost three months still to go!

Barça were on top, but not on top enough for anyone to feel comfortable. Osasuna were creating things, and plenty of Culer hearts missed a beat when both Calleri and Rubén García failed to make the most of their chances.

Ilaix makes it two

Barça needed a goal and the man that delivered it was none other than Ilaix Moriba. Just minutes after coming on, the Guinea-born 18-year-old received the ball on the edge of the box and with the kind of composure that defied his age shimmied to the left, picked his spot, and fired it in.

Little more than two after making his Liga debut against Alavés the youngster already has his first goal – and what a goal it was!

Tight at the top

The win moves Barça to within just two points of leaders Atlético Madrid, who do still have two games in hand but one of those is against third placed Real Madrid tomorrow (4.15pm CET), a game that could have a huge bearing on how the tournament pans out.

Nest up for Barça, following Wednesday’s Champions League game, is a Monday night home fixture (9.00pm CET) against bottom-placed Huesca.