Cadiz CF’s stadium Estadio Ramon de Carranza
On Saturday, newly-promoted Cadiz sealed an impressive victory and a place in the record books by beating Barcelona thanks to Alvaro Negredo’s late strike.
In their first top-flight season in 14 years, Alvaro Cervera’s men became the first promoted team to beat Barcelona and Real Madrid in the first-half of a 20-team season.
They now sit ninth, four points ahead of their beleaguered opponents despite recording the lowest average possession in La Liga per game, the second lowest pass completion percentage and the second lowest shots per game.
Such stats do not concern the Andalucians, who recorded the lowest possession in their Segunda promotion campaign, scoring just 50 goals but ensuring their defence was reliable with a league-best 39 goals conceded.
Cervera is also in his maiden La Liga role with his nomadic coaching career being mostly spent in the lower leagues of Spain before joining Cadiz in 2016.
In the third tier when he joined, the 55-year-old managed to gain promotion in his first season and after four seasons in the Segunda, including a play-off defeat in 2018 by virtue of Tenerife having finished higher in the regular season, finally led them to La Liga.
Having let in just 13 goals in their dozen games so far means the Yellow Submarines don’t need a host of chances to be successful, claiming 1-0 wins at Athletic Club and Real Madrid, while only Sevilla (with two injury-time strikes) and table-topping Atletico Madrid have breached their backline more than twice.
As for Barcelona, the Ronald Koeman experiment is failing with the board now even unable to prize Pep Guardiola from Manchester City for 2022.
A legendary player at the Nou Camp, Koeman has not had anywhere near the same impact in the dugout with the Blaugrana having earned just 14 points from 10 matches, their lowest tally at this stage since 1987/88 season.
Unthinkably sitting in ninth, Barcelona are already 12 points behind leaders Atletico, a position from where the title has never been recovered.
The winner was a move of their own making with Clement Lenglet unable to control a Jordi Alba throw-in and goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen failed to clear allowing Negredo to round Frenkie De Jong and slot home.
Head coach Ronald Koeman of FC Barcelona looks on during the La Liga match against Levante UD on the December 13, 2020
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona reacts at full-time of the La Liga match between Getafe CF and FC Barcelona on October 17, 2020
In hindsight, even keeping Lionel Messi has not paid off. The Argentine was unable to inspire those around him and at times looking like he would rather be anywhere else than the Nou Camp.
He has scored in two of his last 16 away games in La Liga – the fourth in a 4-0 v Mallorca, and a double against Alaves on the last day of the season when they had nothing to play for.
Their La Liga record is even more puzzling when you consider their form in Europe with Messi and co having claimed maximum points from their five Champions League matches.
However, a disappointing performance at home to Juventus saw them finish second in the group after losing 3-0, their first home Champions League group stage defeat since 2009.
With Koeman admitting the result was a ‘gigantic step backwards in our chances of fighting for the league’ it is difficult to see this season ending in success for Barcelona.
On the other hand, despite their encouraging start to the season, Cadiz will not be getting ahead of themselves.
“The objective is survival,” Cervera insisted.
“So we can come back and play this game again and with our fans there next time,” he added.
Notable Results
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Real Valladolid – Atleti move top and make it 26 games unbeaten with an eighth clean sheet this season.
Granada 3-3 Huesca – Home side stun bottom-side Huesca with two goals in the final two minutes to grab an unlikely point.
Real Betis 2-0 Osasuna – Manuel Pellegrini’s side earn just their second win in eight games, ending a run of three straight defeats.
Sevilla 0-1 Real Madrid – The champions with a much-needed victory ahead of their crunch Champions League match with Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday.
Alaves 0-0 Real Sociedad – The visitors knocked off top spot after being held by 10-man Alaves who make it six unbeaten.