Lewan double saves brittle Barca

BARCELONA — Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski ended his barren scoring spell with a brace to rescue the Spanish champion a 2-1 win over visiting Alaves in La Liga on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid came from behind to beat Villarreal 3-1 and Ivan Rakitic snatched Sevilla a 1-1 home draw against Real Betis in a pulsating Seville derby.

Samu Omorodion sent Alaves ahead in the first minute against a dire Barcelona but Lewandowski's second-half double rescued the host three points.

The victory kept Barcelona in touching distance of shock leader Girona, who is four points ahead, and second-place Real Madrid, who has a two-point advantage over Barca, after both won on Saturday.

Veteran forward Lewandowski scored a brilliant header early in the second half and smashed home a penalty in the 77th minute to reach seven league goals.

Catalonia is in drought and Lewandowski was enduring one too, with the striker on his worst stretch of form for over a decade, having failed to score in six appearances prior to Sunday's game.

Barcelona is also on its own miserable run of performances, which coach Xavi Hernandez said is because the players are nervous, especially the younger ones, due to heavy media criticism.

"We were more tense than normal because of all the noise generated around the team," Xavi said.

"It happened to me as a player and it's happening to my players."

Before the match, Xavi said the team was not in crisis despite the recent Clasico defeat and a stumble against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. He added that it was up to him to lead Barca out of its slump.

However, it took just 18 seconds for Alaves to strike.

'Unacceptable'

Ilkay Gundogan lost the ball in midfield and with Barcelona's defense in total disarray, Javi Lopez crossed for Omorodion, who slotted through Marc-Andre ter Stegen's legs.

"We cannot make those mistakes, it's unacceptable," said Xavi.

"We're giving far too much away and that takes a toll."

Barcelona was easily pulled apart on multiple occasions in the first half, with Omorodion, a 19-year-old forward on loan from Atletico, bettering Jules Kounde repeatedly.

Xavi switched the French centerback to rightback midway through the first half, after the striker barged past Kounde and hit the crossbar.

Omorodion fired wide one-on-one with Ter Stegen on another occasion and Alaves could easily have walked off three goals up.

Fans whistled Barca players at the break and they reacted, equalizing early in the second half.

Kounde crossed from the right and Lewandowski arced a brilliant header beyond Antonio Sivera's reach and into the net.

Barcelona clinched the win when substitute Ferran Torres was clumsily felled in the area by Abdel Abqar and Lewandowski smashed the penalty into the roof of the net.

AFP