Deportivo 2-1 Barcelona: La Liga Champions' Title Bid Dented by Shock Defeat at Riazor
Barcelona suffered a severe blow to their La Liga title hopes with a shock defeat at Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.
The visitors struggled without Neymar, who impressed during the midweek Champions League win over PSG, and goals from Joselu andAlex Bergantinos ultimatelycancelled out Luis Suarez's earlier equaliser.
Barcelona started the day hoping to extend their lead at the top of La Liga, with Real Madrid due to play later on Sunday, but found the opening exchanges tough against an organised Deportivo side, who struck the first shot on target as Joselu fired straight atMarc-Andre ter Stegen.
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Chances were scarce during the opening half hour, with Javier Mascheranoclearing a dangerous cross before Luis Suarez's ball across the box failed to find a teammate. Sergi Roberto, fresh from his Champions League heroics against PSG in midweek, should have done better after slipping past Deportivo's defence but couldonly to see his cutback cleared.
Barcelona had Ter Stegen to thank after the German saved well from Joselu's hooked effort, but the visitors were behind just moments later.Gerard Pique and Mascherano failed to clear their lines from a cornerbefore Ter Stegen dropped the ball to Joselu, who made no mistake in smashing home from close range.
Deportivo went into the break ahead, but it wasn't long after half-time that Barcelona were level. Striker Luis Suarez capitalised on a loose ball in the hosts' area, lashing an effort past German Lux to equalise.
47 min: GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL BARÇA! @LuisSuarez9 fires home!
DEP 1-1 FCB #DeporFCB #FCBLive #ForçaBarça!  pic.twitter.com/t0ACg0EHkK
Lionel Messi, who had a quiet game, could only lift an effort wide of Lux's goal as Luis Enrique's side started to dominate. Joselu, who was Deportivo's biggest threat throughout the match, nearly grabbed a second but his volleyed effort from Bruno Gama's clipped pass was straight at Ter Stegen.
Denis Suarez then tested Lux, who punched the Spaniard's drilled shot cleared. Deportivo were restricted mainly to counterattacking opportunities, with Emre Colak skewing a long range effort comfortably wide and Juanfran seeing a strike trickle wide via a deflection.
The resulting corner saw Ter Stegen save brilliantly from aAlex Bergantinosheader before the home side took the lead again. Colak crossed from the left andAlex Bergantinos nodded home past Ter Stegen at the goalkeeper's near post.
Luis Suarez could have restored parity soon after but his swept strike was kept out by Lux, with the Argentinian spreading himself well to stop the Uruguayan scoring his second of the game. Gael Kakuta nearly sealed the win for Deportivowith a third but couldn'tquite get a shot away after bundling past the Barcelona defence.
Messi could only curl a free-kick wide as Barcelona looked for the equaliser before Lux cleared a cross into the path of Faycal Fajr, who had a free run towards Ter Stegen but couldn't beat the goalie with a side footed strike.
His rebound was cleared off the line by Pique, but the home side held out regardless for a win which improves their relegation prospects while denting Barcelona's La Liga title hopes.
Deportivo La Coruna XI: Lux, Juanfran, Albentosa, Arribas, Navarro, Borges, Bergantinos, Fajr, Gil, Gama, Joselu
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Roberto, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Gomes, Busquets, Denis Suarez, Messi, Luis Suarez, Turan