Espanyol 1-1 Barcelona: Pique rescues the unbeaten run in Cornella
The defender equalised in the rain in the final 10 minutes
Gerard Moreno had given the home side the lead
Barcelona came from behind to earn a point in a soaking wet Catalan derby against Espanyol.
RCD Espanyol
1 ________________ 1
FC Barcelona
LINE UP
RCD Espanyol
Diego López, M. Navarrov (Javi López, 75'), David López, Naldo, Aarón, Víctor Sánchez, Darder, Jurado (Sergio García, 60'), Granero, Baptistao (C. Sánchez, 85' y Gerard Moreno
FC Barcelona
Ter Stegen, Semedo (Sergi Roberto, 58'), Piqué, Umtiti, Digne (Alba, 74'), Busquets, Paulinho, Iniesta, Coutinho,Alcácer (Messi, 58') y Luis Suárez
Goles
1-0, Gerard Moreno (66'); 1-1, Piqué (82')
Árbitro
Gil Manzano (extremeño). TA: Naldo (39'), Sergio García (78'), Gerard Moreno (83'), Granero (85') / Busquets (28'), Jordi Alba (85')
Incidencias
RCDE Stadium, 23.827 espectadores
Gerard Pique scored the equaliser in the last 10 minutes, celebrating by telling the home fans, who had jeered his every touch, to be quiet.
Espanyol had taken the lead through Gerard Moreno after a fine cross from Sergio Garcia.
The point extends Barca’s unbeaten run in La Liga this season to 22 games, breaking the record previously held by Pep Guardiola’s side and set in 2009-10.
Ernesto Valverde made changes for the game, with Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Ivan Rakitic among those left on the bench.
In came Paco Alcacer, Lucas Digne and Paulino, with Philippe Coutinho also starting against his former club.
It was Coutinho who came closes to open the scoring in the first half, hitting the bar from distance.
Espanyol’s best chance fell to Leo Baptistao, who drew a decent save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Messi and Sergi Roberto came on in the second half as the conditions worsened, with large puddles appearing on the pitch and the ball struggling to roll properly.
The game was opening up and the home side eventually took the lead when Moreno headed home Garcia’s cross.
Barca struggled to find an opening through the rain and always looked most likely to score via a set play.
That’s what happened when Pique headed in Messi’s free kick, celebrating by telling Espanyol fans to be quiet after a week in which the focus has been on him calling them “Espanyol from Cornella.”
There was no time for a winner but there was time for a meaty Moreno challenge on Pique as temperatures soared in the closing stages.
