Barcelona’s dreams of building on their LaLiga advantage were dealt a blow on Saturday. They could only manage a 1-1 draw against Real Betis at home and this would be pretty damning on their long suffering supporters. Real Madrid, for example, recently experienced a colossal 2-1 home loss to Valencia. This defeat leaves additional pressure on Carlo Ancelotti’s squad to retain their crown.
Barcelona opened the match at Camp Nou with a literal firecracker of a goal! Ferran Torres had the assist on Gavi Paez’s low strike just seven minutes in. Just 10 minutes later, Betis replied with a thundering header from Natan. This important goal equalized the score and left Barcelona with no choice but to accept a tie. Barcelona hit the woodwork on four different occasions, including three missed penalty kicks. Betis’ defenders Adrian San Miguel and Marc Bartra stopped their efforts and preserved the win.
The result left Barcelona’s fate hanging in the balance. They blew a key opportunity to go six points clear of their nearest competitors. Looking back on the match, Gavi lamented not being able to take advantage of Real Madrid’s loss earlier in the day.
“We had our chances, but couldn’t convert and leave with a bitter taste in our mouths.” – Gavi
Real Madrid’s loss to Valencia represented their first loss at home this year. Ancelotti acknowledged the mounting pressure on his team, stating that it has become “much harder now to fight for the league.” He reaffirmed their ambition to keep fighting, acknowledging the road is long and hard.
“It is much harder now to fight for the league, but we only have one idea and that is to fight until the end because we still have a chance after this game.” – Carlo Ancelotti
Both sides are preparing for important matches midweek in the Champions League knockout stage. Next up on Tuesday, Real Madrid vs. Arsenal, and on Wednesday, FC Barcelona vs. Borussia Dortmund! With both clubs having played 30 matches, the LaLiga title race remains tight, with Real Madrid’s recent slip allowing their rivals a glimmer of hope.
This weekend’s results are a reminder that anything can happen in this crazy league, and even the smallest mistakes can be costly. Barcelona will need to regroup quickly to keep their momentum scorching against Dortmund. Beyond that, they have some ground to make up in LaLiga as well.
