Agencies
Barcelona, April 18: Barcelona’s stuttering title bid suffered another setback when they lost 1-2 at home to Valencia, Sunday, while Atletico Madrid moved level on points with the La Liga leaders after a comfortable 3-0 win over Granda.
Shell-shocked Barca have 76 points along with Atletico, who knocked the holders out of the Champions League in midweek, and remain top only due to a superior head-to-head record.
Atletico earlier eased to a 3-0 home win over Granada after Fernando Torres grabbed his fourth goal in as many games with Koke and substitute Angel Correa also getting on the scoresheet.
An own goal by Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic put Valencia ahead after 27 minutes at the Nou Camp and Santi Mina added a second just before half time to stun the Barca supporters.
Lionel Messi scored his 500th career goal to reduce the deficit after 64 minutes but the struggling hosts, who have squandered a nine-point lead, could not find an equaliser.
Despite Barcelona registering a third successive league defeat for the first time since 2003, Luis Enrique remained upbeat about his team’s chances of winning the title.
“We’ve got a marvellous challenge, if we win the five games remaining we will be champions,” he told a news conference. “Of course, our credit has run out and we are aware of the challenge. We’re going to approach it like a Barca player always does, with our heads held high.”
Barca humiliated a Valencia side coached by Gary Neville 7-0 in a King’s Cup semifinal game in February but had a much tougher time against successor Pako Ayesteran’s team and went behind when Guilherme Siqueira’s cross bounced off Rakitic and beyond Claudio Bravo.
Barcelona forwards Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar each had efforts saved by the impressive Diego Alves, but Valencia continued to cause the home side problems on the break.
Santi Mina increased the visiting side’s advantage receiving a pass from Dani Parejo and beating Bravo at the far post with a powerfully driven
effort.
