Barcelona held 1-1 at home by Espanyol after World Cup break

BARCELONA: Barcelona stumbled in their first game since a seven-week World Cup break when they held 1-1 by Espanyol at Camp Nou in a heated Catalan derby that finished with both teams having a player sent off in the final minutes on Saturday.

Barcelona were in control of the Spanish league match from the fourth minute after defender Marcos Alonso scored with a header. But complacency by the hosts and some staunch defending by Espanyol gave striker Joselu Mata the chance to equalize with a penalty in the 73rd after he was fouled by Alonso in the box.

The game then turned testy. Referee Antonio Mateu showed a second yellow card to Barcelona defender Jordi Alba for protesting in the 78th and Espanyol’s Vinicius Souza for fouling a home player on the break in the 80th.

Mateu handed out a World Cup record 17 yellow cards in Argentina’s quarterfinal win over the Netherlands.

After 15 of 38 rounds, Barcelona will finish the year top of the league, ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference. But dropping points at home against a side just one point above the relegation zone was not in coach Xavi Hernandez’s plans.

“The draw is our fault. It was important to finish the year in the best manner possible,” Xavi said. “Espanyol was thrilled to reach the final minutes with a shot at getting an equalizer. These are games you have to finish off.”

A moment of silence was held before the game in memory of Brazil great Pele, who passed away on Thursday.

The derby was played amid complaints by Espanyol that they were harmed by the unexpected decision by a Madrid court to temporarily lift a suspension on Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski.

The court said Lewandowski should be allowed to play until Spain’s administrative court for