Barcelona 1-1 Espanyol: Barca are held as Alonso nets, Alba and Souza sent off
Barcelona blew their chance to go two points clear at the top of LaLiga as they were held to a 1-1 draw by local rival Espanyol on Saturday.
Playing in their first game since the World Cup, the hosts made the perfect start when Marcos Alonso headed them in front in the seventh minute.
Xavi’s side were unable to extend their lead, though, and were made to pay as former Real Madrid striker Joselu won and then converted a penalty 17 minutes from time.
In a chaotic end to the match with both teams looking for a winner, controversial referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz took centre stage, sending off Barcelona’s Jordi Alba and Espanyol’s Vinicius Souza off within three minutes of each other.
This was Lahoz’s first game since he brandished 15 yellow cards and a red in Argentina’s ill-tempered World Cup quarter-final clash with the Netherlands. Barcelona are now level on points with Madrid, with the two sides locked on 38 points after 15 matches.
