Barcelona secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Almeria at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, courtesy of late Sergi Roberto’s goal. Despite the win, the pressure on manager Xavi Hernandez and the team continue to mount, following their unconvincing outing. The match saw Barcelona dominate early on, resulting in Raphinha’s goal just after the half-hour mark. However, Almeria quickly responded with a goal from Leo Baptistao, capitalizing on a mistake from Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo to level the score at 1-1 going into halftime. 
Sergi Roberto stars in Barcelona’s 3-2 win against Almeria – Getty image In the second half, Sergi Roberto’s header off a Raphinha corner put Barcelona ahead once again, but Almeria managed to equalize for the second time following a defensive mix-up between Inaki Pena and Araujo, allowing Edgar Gonzalez to score. Despite the setback, Sergi Roberto stepped up once more, securing his brace with a crucial goal following a stellar play involving Robert Lewandowski. The victory puts Barcelona within six points of league leaders Girona, who play on Thursday, while Almeria remains at the bottom of the table without a win this season.
The 31-year-old will become a free agent in June and has fallen further and further down the pecking order on Merseyside so far this season following the signings of both Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo. Barcelona is said to have won the race for Firmino’s signature, with the Mail reporting that the former Hoffenheim star will join Xavi’s side. Barca, who’re enduring well-documented financial troubles, are on course to win their first La Liga title since 2018 and want to strengthen their attack without breaking the bank, as Robert Lewandowski is currently their only recognised striker. 
The 31-year-old signed for £29milllion from Hoffenheim in 2015, scored 109 goals in 360 appearances during his time at Anfield. Firmino has been a staple part of Liverpool’s success winning the Champions League twice, the Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Club World Cup during his eight-year spell. 
