![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.matchplug.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Samuel-Umtiti-matchplug-soccer-predictions-betting-tips-smashed-tips-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBarcelona played out a 1-1 draw against Espanyol on Sunday. The game was very tough for the Catalans both on the pitch and off it, and Samuel Umtiti was reportedly racially abused by an opponent.<\/p>\n
The French defender was seen on Camera being held back by GerardPique as he attempted to confront the opponent who racially abused him.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It is still unclear who is the Espanyol player that had rained the abuse on him, and the player may go unpunished\u00a0if the referee did not see the incident.<\/p>\n
Pique netted the equalizing goal for the Catalans on Sunday, but he was booed for much of the game, after claiming that Espanyol was a small town club in the pre-match press conference.<\/p>\n
Ernesto Valverde decided to start Lionel Messi from the bench, and it was only when the Argentine had come on that Barcelona finally scored having gone a goal down in the 66th minute, courtesy of a Gerard Moreno header.<\/p>\n
This win leaves Barcelona at the top of the league with 12 points separating them and second-placed Atletico Madrid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Barcelona played out a 1-1 draw against Espanyol on Sunday. The game was very tough for the Catalans both on the pitch and off it, and Samuel Umtiti was reportedly racially abused by an opponent. The French defender was seen on Camera being held back by GerardPique as he attempted to confront the opponent who racially abused him. It is still unclear who is the Espanyol player that had rained the abuse on him, and the player may go unpunished\u00a0if the referee did not see the incident. Pique netted the equalizing goal for the Catalans on Sunday, but he was booed for much of the game, after claiming that Espanyol was a small town club in the pre-match press conference. Ernesto Valverde decided to start Lionel Messi from the bench, and it was only when the Argentine had come on that Barcelona finally scored having gone a goal down in the 66th minute, courtesy of a Gerard Moreno header. This win leaves Barcelona at the top of the league with 12 points separating them and second-placed Atletico Madrid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","category-news-and-analysis"],"yoast_head":"\n