BARCELONA (AFP) -
Barcelona dropped more points in La Liga after failing to beat Alaves on Saturday as their first game since the sacking of Ronald Koeman ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw at Camp Nou.
Sergio Aguero had to be taken to hospital for tests after suffering breathing problems during the first half of the game.
Aguero was able to walk off the pitch and Barca’s interim manager Sergi Barjuan said afterwards: “I asked him and he told me he was dizzy. I was told he went to hospital. I don’t know anything else.”
Gerard Pique was also taken off with a calf strain and, along with Aguero, will now be a doubt for Tuesday’s crunch Champions League game away at Dynamo Kiev.
Xavi Hernandez is expected to be appointed Koeman’s successor this week but with the details of his move still to be agreed with Qatari side Al Sadd, Barca B coach Barjuan has been put in temporary charge.
Yet the removal of Koeman, and even the prospect of Xavi, produced no obvious uplift as a superb second-half strike from Memphis Depay was quickly cancelled out by an equally impressive run and finish from Alaves’ Luis Rioja.
After three league games without a win, Barcelona stay ninth, eight points adrift of leaders Real Madrid, who earlier defeated Elche 2-1 thanks to two goals from Vinicius Junior and aided by a red card for Elche’s Raul Guti.
Even more worrying for Barca will be the gap behind the top four is five points while attendances suggest the team’s form is creating a sense of apathy amongst supporters, with only 37,238 inside the 99,000 Camp Nou.