FC Barcelona maintained their unbeaten start to the LaLiga season with a 2-1 victory away to Osasuna on Sunday evening.
Deadline day acquisitions Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo were named on the Barcelona bench, while manager Xavi Hernandez was back in the dugout after serving his suspension.
Xaxi's men were quick out of the blocks after a shot by Frenkie de Jong clattered the upright after the host struggled to monitor their lines.
It became pretty open midway in the first half when a searching effort by Jose Arnaz after side-stepping Jules Kounde worked goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
Ter Stegen was at it again beyond the half-hour mark after he got down to thwart Jesus Areso's first-time shot out for a throw-in.
Barca, however, went ahead on the stroke of halftime when an unmarked Kounde rose in the area and guided Ilkay Gundogan's corner-kick into the far corner.
Early in the second half, the Catalans looked to maintain their cushion before Cancelo came on for Sergi Roberto and made his debut while Lamine Yamal made way for Ferran Torres.
The Blaugrana looked to have gone two up with a close-range header at the near post by Robert Lewandowski following Cancelo's cross, but he didn't find target.
Osasuna utilised the lifeline inside the last ten minutes after Ezequiel Avila dropped a yard of space outside the offensive area before curling in off the post.
It was a drama-filled last eight minutes as the Catalans got a penalty when Alejandro Catena upended Lewandowski and saw red, before the Polish striker dispatched the resultant spot-kick to make it 2-1.
The defending champions did though survive the late pressure to bag a third win in succession and sit third on the table heading into the international break.
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