After a run of one draw and two defeats later, one of them at home against Real Madrid, that lead could disappear entirely by the time they kick off on Sunday if Atletico win their home game against Granada.
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With five matches to go, Barcelona and Atletico are even at the top of the standings and Real Madrid is only one point behind. Its 39- game unbeaten streak ended with a home loss to Real Madrid earlier this month.
Sunday’s result means Barca have now picked up just one point from their last four league games and, if that was not bad enough, they were also knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Atletico in midweek. “Like I always say, the important match is that of tomorrow”, said the coach.
The visitors were ahead in the 26th-minute after an Ivan Rakitic own goal, before Santi Mina doubled their advantage at the stroke of half-time with his fourth league goal of the season. He completed a cross by Jordi Alba to keep his team’s hopes alive, but it was not able to capitalize on its chances of equalizing.
Enrique has been criticised in recent weeks for Barcelona’s over-reliance on Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi, who have scored the majority of the club’s goals this season.
We played great, we didn’t deserve to lose, but sometimes football is cruel like this.
Barca dominated from start to finish against a Valencia side that had been dispatched 7-0 on their last visit to the Camp Nou just two months ago under the tutelage of Gary Neville.
“The first-half was a complete performance, lots of clear chances and without the luck we need to put the game on track”.
“We try and perform at the top level in all the championships we’re involved in”.
It was the second win in a row for Valencia after four straight losses, moving the club further away from the relegation zone. They are now up to 12th in the table on 40 points. Today there’s not a single Barça supporters who is not proud of the team.
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is highly convinced that Barcelona will drop more points before the La Liga season is over and that will give his team an ample opportunity to overtake the Blaugrana in the Spanish La Liga.
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The forward did score his 499th career goal in the meantime – a penalty for Argentina in a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia on 30 March.
