Barcelona remain firmly in pursuit of Real Madrid in LaLiga. Hansi Flick’s side came from behind to beat Real Oviedo 1-3 at the Carlos Tartiere, in a match that started off poorly after Alberto Reina’s opener but was turned around in the second half thanks to goals from Eric García, Robert Lewandowski, and Ronald Araújo.

A hard-fought win at the Tartiere

Oviedo came out aggressively, fueled by Veljko Paunovic’s tactics and the backing of the home crowd. They even created several dangerous chances before opening the scoring with a wonder goal from Reina, who struck from beyond midfield after an error by Joan García.

Barça, fielding an almost full-strength XI except for Casadó replacing De Jong, responded after halftime. The Dutchman’s entrance gave the visitors more control in midfield and allowed them to gradually take over. The equalizer came in the 55th minute, when Eric García pounced on a rebound after a Ferran Torres header.

That momentum shift was decisive: in the very next play, Lewandowski scored with his first touch after coming on, nodding home a perfect cross from De Jong. Araújo’s goal from a corner sealed the win, as Barça once again showed composure and clinical finishing.

Flick praises team strength

After the match, Hansi Flick highlighted the importance of the victory and the collective performance despite the absence of Lamine Yamal. “Playing well without him shows the level of this team,” said the German, who also praised Lewandowski: “He’s one of the best strikers out there. The key is that everyone gives 100% when they’re on the pitch.”

The Barça coach also expressed satisfaction with the defensive solidity and the variety of options at the back: “Last season Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez played many games together, now we have more options, and I’m happy for Araújo’s goal.”

With this win, Barcelona stay just two points behind Real Madrid, while Oviedo remain in the relegation zone after an effort that wasn’t enough to stop one of the title contenders.