Barça 5-5 Peñíscola: Two points dropped
In a rollercoaster game full of twists, FC Barcelona were left with a draw that felt like a defeat. They had fought back, but Peñíscola snatched a point at the Palau. The 5–5 scoreline leaves the blaugrana joint top with El Pozo.
Barça created the first chance through Gauna, but it was the visitors who struck early, Saladié firing into the top corner after just three minutes. Pito quickly equalised from a set piece but the first half was shaped by goalkeeper Miquel Feixas, whose saves kept Barça in it. Still, a controversial sixth foul allowed Elías to convert a double penalty just before the break and give the visitors a half-time lead.
After the restart, Barça pushed forward and created chances, but Lukas Acosta kept them out, until Matheus struck from distance to level the scores against his former club. The joy was brief, as Saladié restored the lead moments later. It was real end-to-end drama, for Fits equalised again with a fine finish, sparking a comeback that saw Sergio González and then Gauna seemingly put Barça in control with the score at 5-3.
The two-goal cushion looked like ti was going to hold nicely, but a chaotic finale undid all the hard work. With Peñíscola using a rush goalie, Víctor Pérez pulled one back and Elías equalised in the final minute, denying Barça victory.
The dropped points leave them level with El Pozo ahead of their decisive meeting next Friday.
MATCH STATS
Barça: 5
Peñíscola: 5
Barça: Feixas, Joao Víctor, Matheus, Luciano Gauna, Pito, Dídac, Catela, Martel, Sergio González, Erick, Fits, Touré & Joel Miñano.
Peñíscola: Lukas Acosta, Araya, Elías, Víctor Pérez, Diego Sancho, Gio, Ferreira, Agustín Plaza, Lucas Flores, Pablo Muñoz, Saladié, Rosental, Gus & Quintela.
Goals: 0-1, Carles Saladié (min. 3); 1-1, Pito (min. 6); 1-2, Elías (min. 20); 2-2, Luciano Gauna (min. 28); 2-3, Saladié (min. 30); 3-3, Fits (min. 31); 4-3, Sergio González (min. 34); 5-3, Luciano Gauna (min. 36); 5-4, Víctor Pérez (min. 38); 5-5, Elías (min. 40)
Referees: Diego Martínez, Tomás Santander & Francesc García-Donas