MADRID (Reuters) - Raphinha scored a 98th-minute penalty as FC Barcelona came back from 3-1 down to win 4-3 at home to Celta Vigo and move seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Celta Vigo striker Borja Iglesias hit a magnificent hat-trick that had threatened to derail Barca’s title challenge, before two goals in four minutes and the late penalty saw Barca turn the game around.
Barcelona made a formal complaint over kick-off times giving them little time to recover between matches. After Ferran Torres gave the home side an early lead, it was easy to see why Barca needed a rest as they gave another flat performance - at least before halftime.
A rare error from goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny gifted Iglesias an easy finish to equalize, and Celta enjoyed the better of the first half, with Szczesny pulling off a couple of vital saves.
Iglesias put Celta ahead in the 52nd minute after some poor defending allowed him space to run through on goal and he scored with a shot from a narrow angle.
That prompted Hansi Flick to bring on Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo into the game. However, the duo had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes when Iglesias completed his hat-trick.
The striker latched onto a long ball from defense with the Barca back line in its rival’s half, and he then kept his calm to slot the ball past Szczesny and make it 3-1.
Olmo quickly reduced the lead to 3-2 with an angled finish and just four minutes later, Raphinha was on hand to level with a downwards header.
That set up a tense finish to the game, with Oscar Mingueza heading just wide for Celta against his former club, before Yoel Lago caught Olmo in the Celta area well into injury time.