The actions of a pair of Barcelona stars have piqued attentions across Spain late on Saturday night.
As much comes after both picked up yellow cards, and ensuing one-game suspensions, for the club’s next outing.
Xavi’s troops are of course fresh off their post-international break return to action, a La Liga meeting with Las Palmas in Catalunya’s capital.
Barca headed into proceedings in the knowledge that an eventual victory would see them close the gap on arch rivals Real Madrid atop the Spanish top-flight to just five points.
And, when all was said and done, inch towards Carlo Ancelotti’s Blancos is precisely what the Blaugrana went on to do.
A solitary goal proved enough to put 10-man Las Palmas to the sword, the heavily-involved Raphinha proving himself match-winner just shy of the hour mark.
And yet, as alluded to above, post-match, Barcelona’s goalscorer has been forced to share the spotlight with another two high-profile members of Xavi’s squad.
The pair in question? Robert Lewandowski, and João Cancelo.
Both frontman Lewandowski and defender Cancelo played their part in their side’s latest three-point haul on Saturday.
Neither, however, will be available for selection next time out, against Cádiz.
This comes owing to an accumulation of yellow cards, giving rise to a one-match La Liga suspension.
Safe to say, though, that neither player appeared overly fussed with the prospect of sitting out next time out. In fact, it is not at all outside the realms of reality that Lewandowski and Cancelo took to the pitch tonight with the intention of being booked.
Had the pair lined out against Cádiz in two weeks’ time, and picked up a yellow in the process, they would have been banned for Barcelona’s impending Clásico showdown with Real Madrid, a fixture which could prove hugely important in the race for the La Liga title.
Missing out against a side sitting 18th in the table is, for understandable reasons, an altogether more palatable prospect.
With Lewandowski’s caution having come for ‘time wasting’ on his way off the pitch to be substituted, and Cancelo’s having arrived just two minutes from full time, the ‘game plan’ no doubt put in place ahead of kick-off was executed to perfection by the two Blaugrana stars.
Conor Laird | GSFN
