Barcelona Comeback Oviedo 3-1! Lewandowski and Araujo Lift Hansi Flick’s Men to Crucial Away Victory

FC Barcelona delivered a powerful display of resilience, staging a thrilling Barcelona comeback on the road to defeat Real Oviedo 3-1. The victory, secured by goals from Eric Garcia, Robert Lewandowski, and Ronald Araujo, was vital, ensuring the Blaugrana remain just two points behind rivals Real Madrid at the summit of the LaLiga table.

Hansi Flick’s side had to overcome a major scare and a difficult first half, but a dominant second-half performance proved their championship mettle in a crucial fixture at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere.

Oviedo Stuns Barça as Goalkeeper Error Gifts Opener

The match started nervously for the visitors, who faced immediate pressure from a determined Oviedo side. Despite a flurry of early saves from Aaron Escandell to deny Marcus Rashford and a superb double stop on Raphinha and Ronald Araujo, Barcelona was ultimately undone by a major lapse.

In the 33rd minute, goalkeeper Joan Garcia rushed out of his box only to misjudge an interception. The error gifted the ball to Oviedo’s Alberto Reina, who sensationally lofted a long-range, looping effort into the empty net, sending the home crowd wild and shocking the LaLiga giants. Barcelona went into the break trailing 1-0, needing a significant tactical shift from Flick.

Super-Sub Lewandowski and Araujo Complete the Turnaround

Barcelona emerged for the second half with renewed intensity, immediately placing Oviedo under siege. The equalizer arrived in the 56th minute when defender Eric Garcia showed composure to latch onto a saved Ferran Torres shot, poking the ball home from close range to level the scoreline.

The defining moment came courtesy of a perfect combination of substitutes. In the 70th minute, Robert Lewandowski, fresh off the bench, masterfully converted a header from Frenkie de Jong, subtly glancing the ball past Escandell and giving Barcelona the lead. This goal meant Lewandowski has now scored against 21 of the 25 opponents he has faced in LaLiga—a remarkable record.

The victory was sealed with two minutes remaining on the clock by the man who nearly scored earlier, Ronald Araujo. The commanding defender got in front of his marker to guide a Marcus Rashford corner into the back of the net, completing the 3-1 scoreline and putting the match firmly beyond doubt.

Breaking the Away Hoodoo

This hard-fought victory was significant for more than just the three points. It ended Barcelona’s recent poor form at the venue, as they had lost three of their last four LaLiga away matches against Oviedo. The win demonstrates the team’s growing tenacity under Flick, proving they can grind out results in difficult away fixtures despite conceding first.

The 3-1 scoreline was a fair reflection of their second-half dominance, as they finished the match with a massive 2.14 Expected Goals (xG) and 22 attempts on goal. With Lewandowski and Araujo delivering late heroics, Barcelona is fully prepared to challenge Real Madrid every step of the way in the LaLiga title race.