El Barça lose league lead as Matheus exits injured
FC Barcelona’s futsal side were held to a 2‑2 draw by Jimbee Cartagena at the Palau Blaugrana, surrendering the Apertura league lead to Palma Futsal and seeing Brazilian winger Matheus limp off with a knee problem after four minutes in a match watched by 1,059 spectators.
Adolfo opened the scoring in the second minute, his finish set up by Matheus, giving Barça an early advantage. Cartagena answered quickly through Tomaz eight minutes later. Barcelona restored the lead when Sergio González netted sixteen minutes after a swift counter‑attack.
Goal timeline and key moments
Tomaz equalised nineteen minutes in, blasting a shot that surprised goalkeeper Dídac. The second half saw a brief two‑minute superiority for Barça after a direct red card was shown to Adri at the thirty‑second minute, but the advantage went unused. Adolfo came close to a winner in the final moments, his strike drifting wide. The match also featured bookings for Catela (fifth minute), Agustín Plaza (seventh), Mouhoudine (seventeenth) and the red card to Adri (thirty‑second).
The starting line‑up listed FC BARCELONA: Dídac, Antonio, Matheus, Adolfo and Higor, while JIMBEE CARTAGENA fielded Chispi, Tomaz, Cortés, Gon Castejón and Pablo Ramírez. Young Guti made his debut for Barça in the second period, adding fresh energy to the side. Photographs by Manel Montilla and reporting by journalist Jordi Batalla captured the intensity of the encounter.
Referees David Urdánoz Apezteguía and Eder Gómez de Salazar officiated the game, ensuring a disciplined but passionate contest. The crowd of 1,059 witnessed a tightly contested duel, with both teams creating chances throughout the ninety minutes. Despite the red card, Barça could not convert the numerical edge into a decisive goal.
Injuries and league implications
Brazilian winger Matheus noted a knee discomfort four minutes in and was forced to leave, pending further tests. His compatriot Pito also missed the match with a muscular injury that will keep him out for three weeks, compounding Barça’s attacking woes.
With the draw, Barça relinquished the league lead, now held by Palma Futsal, marking a setback in the Torneo Apertura. The club will look to regroup ahead of the next fixture on Wednesday at 20.45, a new test in the Palau against O Parrulo.