Barcelona B miss out on promotion to Segunda division in the play-offs for second year in a row despite drafting young first-team stars into the team… as they narrowly lose to UCAM Murcia in ridiculous 18-penalty shootout
- Barcelona B were beaten 5-4 on penalties by UCAM Murcia to lose play-off game
- It took 18 penalties to separate the teams after the match had finished 2-2
- Murcia are now through to final to play for promotion to Segunda division
- Barcelona B will remain in third tier of Spanish football after painful defeat
Barcelona B have once again missed out on promotion to Segunda division after they lost a mammoth penalty shootout to UCAM Murcia.
The match finished 2-2 after extra time and after nine penalties were taken by each team, it was Murcia who won 5-4 to progress to the final.
It’s the second year in a row that Barcelona B have missed out in the play-offs, and it means they will spend another year in the third tier of Spanish football.
Barcelona B lost 5-4 on penalties to UCAM Murcia in a shootout which saw 18 efforts taken
Rey Manaj scored a brace as it finished 2-2 after extra time but Barcelona B were edged out
Barca B received a huge boost before the match when it was confirmed that Oscar Mingueza would be allowed to play, having started the season with them before moving more to the first-team.
Mingueza has made 37 appearances for Ronald Koeman’s side this season, while Konrad De la Fuente has made two substitute cameos in the Champions League.
De la Fuente had the ball in the net inside three minutes, but it was ruled out and Murcia then took the lead midway through the first half.
A brace from Rey Manaj after the break put the visitors back in front though, before an 83rd-minute equaliser took the match to extra time.
The sides could still not separated though, and it went to a penalty shootout to decide who would progress to the play-off final.
Barca B goalkeeper Inaki Pena made four saves in the shootout but it wasn’t enough, as after 18 penalties were taken Murcia won it 5-4.
It means Barca B have failed to reach the final and will not have the chance to earn promotion to Seguna division, where they last played in the 2017/18 season.
Last season they reached the final of the play-offs, but they were beaten 2-1 by CE Sabadell and it was a similarly painful tale 12 months later.
The defeat means that Barca B will miss out on promotion and remain in the third tier in Spain
