Barcelona with a brace from Roberto secured a hard-fought victory against Almeria

Barcelona faced Almeria in the 18th round of the Spanish La Liga.

Xavi's team approached the match on a rough patch: the Blaugrana had gone three games without a win across all competitions.

Raphinha took it upon himself to change the tide, opening the score in the 33rd minute. The Brazilian was first to the rebound after Araujo's shot. However, Almeria managed to equalize in the first half. Baptistao restored parity, capitalizing on a one-on-one opportunity against Pena.

In the second half, Barcelona dominated. Approaching the hour mark, Sergi Roberto headed in a delivery from Raphinha.

Unexpectedly, Almeria pulled one back in the 71st minute. Gonzalez capitalized on confusion between Pena and Araujo, slotting the ball into the net. Interestingly, this was their first shot on target in the second half.

Nevertheless, the final say belonged to the Blaugrana. Sergi Roberto completed his brace after a pass from Lewandowski, securing a crucial victory for his team.

Barcelona gathered 38 points, ascending to the third spot in La Liga. Meanwhile, Almeria remains at the bottom (5 points).

• La Liga, Matchday 18th

Barcelona - Almeria 3:2

Goals: Raphinha, 33, Sergi Roberto, 60, 83 - Baptistao, 41, Gonzalez, 71