Cadiz 0-1 Barcelona: Felix bicycle kick earns Barca narrow win over relegation-threatened hosts
Joao Felix scored a brilliant bicycle kick to give depleted Barcelona a 1-0 La Liga victory at relegation-threatened Cadiz on Saturday, as manager Xavi Hernandez rested key players ahead of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris St Germain.
Barcelona now have 70 points, eight behind leaders Real Madrid, whom they will face in the "El Clasico" at Santiago Bernabeu next weekend.
They are two points ahead of Girona, who lost 3-1 to fourth-placed Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona dominated the early stages, and Felix scored the winner in the 37th minute with a stunning strike, pouncing on a rebound from a corner to volley home.
The Portuguese forward, who is on loan from Atletico Madrid, scored a bicycle kick in his previous visit to Cadiz, a 3-2 loss with the capital club last season.
"I guess this stadium gives me luck. It wasn't planned, I just reacted and it happened. What a great feeling it was and even better with a win this time," Felix told Movistar Plus+.
"We made a very good game from the start, it is a very difficult stadium to play at. We were good up-front early and good on defence later on, when they made a run as they are fighting for salvation."
Cadiz are 18th in the standings with 25 points, third from bottom and three points behind 17th-placed Celta, who are just outside the relegation zone.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both won while resting regular starters ahead of key Champions League matches, but Barcelona manager Xavi took it a step further, making eight changes to the team that fought back to win at PSG on Wednesday.
Despite missing Robert Lewandowski, Ilkay Gundogan, and Joao Cancelo, they did just enough to secure their sixth consecutive win in all competitions and extend their unbeaten streak to 13 competitive matches.
Apart from Felix's aerial effort and a goal-line clearance by Cadiz defender Victor Chust from a Fermin Torres shot, Barcelona did little and were saved by inspired keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen, who made crucial saves to frustrate Cadiz.
SportsLigue