Mueez Ajao
– Barcelona suffered a shock home La Liga defeat by relegation-threatened Cadiz to leave leaders Real Madrid closer to clinching the Spanish title.
– The visitors began the day in the bottom three but Lucas Perez poked in from close range just after half-time to boost their survival prospects.
– This was Barca’s first La Liga loss since 4 December, ending a 15-match unbeaten league run.
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– Second-placed Barca trail Real Madrid by 15 points with seven games left.
– Any hopes the Catalans retained of derailing their great rivals’ bid for a 35th top-flight title were slim before the visit of Cadiz, but this result will serve as a reminder of the gulf between Spain’s dominant teams.
– Barca have been resurgent under Xavi since his appointment as manager in November and even thrashed the league leaders 4-0 at the Bernabeu last month.
– But the Nou Camp club have endured a chastening week, with this defeat coming five days after they were beaten at home by Eintracht Frankfurt and eliminated from the Europa League semi-finals.
– January’s Premier League signings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Adama Traore were left out of the starting XI against Cadiz before being brought on as the home side sought an equaliser, but the visitors held firm.
– Victory takes Cadiz two points clear of the relegation zone with six matches left.
