Barcelona’s hopes of celebrating their 125th anniversary with a victory were dashed on Saturday as Las Palmas secured a stunning 2-1 win at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, leaving the Catalans winless in their last three league games.
Sandro Ramirez gave the visitors the lead early in the second half, and despite Raphinha’s equalizer, Fabio Silva’s decisive strike handed Las Palmas all three points, lifting them to 14th in the La Liga standings.
Although Barcelona remains four points ahead of Real Madrid, who have played two fewer games, the defeat marks a significant dip for the Catalans after a remarkable 11 wins from 12 games in the top flight.
Raphinha, reflecting on the result, told Movistar, “We had a bad game. We need to assess what went wrong and improve. I don’t care about my goal; what matters is winning, and we didn’t do that.”
The match was also marked by Barcelona’s 125th anniversary celebrations, where they wore white shorts, reminiscent of the club’s early days.
However, the festive atmosphere quickly turned sour as the team, despite their offensive pressure, struggled to break down a resolute Las Palmas defense.
Despite a solid first-half performance, including a strong save by former Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, Barca was forced to adjust after Alejandro Balde suffered a concussion and was replaced by Gerard Martin.
The hosts came close to taking the lead in the first half, with Raphinha scoring from an offside position and later hitting the crossbar.
In the second half, Las Palmas capitalized on their chance, with Ramirez’s long-range shot breaking the deadlock. Barcelona responded swiftly with Raphinha’s powerful shot, but Silva quickly put Las Palmas back in the lead with a clinical finish.
Las Palmas’ goalkeeper Cillessen, along with a heroic defensive effort, denied Barcelona’s late attempts, including a last-gasp chance from Robert Lewandowski, ensuring a historic first win at Barcelona since 1971.
“It was a very important win. We worked hard for it,” said Las Palmas midfielder Alberto Moleiro. “Everyone gave their all, and that was the key to the victory,” he added.
This win marks a major improvement for Las Palmas, who have climbed five points clear of the relegation zone under coach Diego Martinez, who took over in October.
This upset adds to Barcelona’s struggles as they now look to regroup and return to winning ways.
