REAL MADRID LOSE AT SEVILLA WHILST BARCELONA LOSE VALDÉS

REAL MADRID LOSE AT SEVILLA WHILST BARCELONA LOSE VALDÉS

D. Ray Morton, 27th March 2014.

Last night marked a crucial turning point in the race for the Liga BBVA crown with title hopefuls Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Barcelona all in action. Atléti and Barça played at home against Granada and Celta Vigo respectively and both secured three points each as Real fell to a 2-1 away defeat to Sevilla. The Sevilla fixture always looked like it might be a spanner in the works for Carlo Ancelotti's men. Despite taking an early lead through Cristiano Ronaldo, Sevilla got the visitors on the back foot and managed two goals from Carlos Bacca to send the side from the capital packing. Three crucial points dropped and confusion all-round.

Atlético struggled against Granada but managed to win ugly thanks to another goal from their profilic Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa. Barcelona picked up a routine win against Celta Vigo at Camp Nou but their 3-0 rout had the gloss taken off it when goalkeeper Victor Valdés was stretchered off in the first half with a serious knee injury brought about whilst saving a free kick. It is thought to be a cruciate knee ligament injury which will keep him out for at least six months meaning that last night, as he will leave the club in the summer, was his last ever match for Barça. Set to miss the World Cup also, it has been the cruelest of injuries for a keeper that has found his very best form this season. José Manuel Pinto came on to deputise for Valdés but one wonders whether the 38 year-old back-up goalie will be good enough to get los culés past tougher challenges as the season reaches its climax. A brace from Neymar and another from Lionel Messi ensured the Catalans at least got the three points to keep their title charge going.

Each of the three challenging teams have their concerns. Atléti managed to win last night but the struggle in which they dispatched Granada might indicate that Diego Simeone's side are burning out. Barça lost Valdés which could be a huge psychological blow and Real simply bottled it against Sevilla in a game that prospective league champions ought to win.

Atléti have a one-point lead over Barça and have to play them at Camp Nou on the final day of match fixtures. Should both teams finish on level points, it will come down to head-to-head record. When both sides faced each other in Madrid in November, it finished 0-0. Real have left themselves in a bad situation in that they now have to finish a clear point ahead of the other two in order to clinch the title. Atléti and Barça have superior head-to-head records against Real.

Bookmakers are giving Barcelona the edge and still give Real Madrid a better chance than Atlético despite their loss last night. The clubs' run-in fixtures are as follows:

Atlético Madrid: vs. Atheltic Bilbao (away), Villarreal (home), Getafe (away), Elche (home), Valencia (away), Levante (away), Malaga (home), Barcelona (away).

Barcelona: vs. Espanyol (away), Real Betis (home), Granada (away), Athletic Bilbao (home), Villarreal (away), Getafe (home), Elche (away), Atlético Madrid (home).

Real Madrid: vs. Rayo Vallecano (home), Real Sociedad (away), Almeria (home), Valladolid (away), Osasuna (home), Valencia (home), Celta Vigo (away), Espanyol (home).

Barcelona's run-in looks like the easiest of the three but the way this title race has jumped back and forth, there can be no guarantees. Valdés' injury is a huge loss but Real Madrid may already have blown it with their most recent brace of defeats. Let's not count out Atlético. Despite showing signs of fatigue, they still lead the table and very much have everything in their own hands. It's as simple as win every game and you've won the league.