Barcelona and Atletico Madrid knew victory might hearth them in the direction of the La Liga title however Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Camp Nou handed Real Madrid the prospect to go high. Four wins from their final 4 video games will now be sufficient for Zinedine Zidane’s facet to retain their La Liga crown, with a crunch recreation at residence to fourth-placed Sevilla up first on Sunday. The first a part of a blockbuster weekend in the Spanish title race pitched first towards third however neither might take a decisive step ahead, regardless of the perfect makes an attempt of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, who confronted one another for the primary time since Suarez departed final summer season. A degree every leaves Atletico three factors away from Real Madrid, who’ve a recreation in hand and in addition the superior head-to-head over each Atleti and Barcelona.
Barca stay two factors off the highest however their probabilities took the most important hit, given they now want each Atletico and Real Madrid to slide up in the ultimate stretch.
Anything can nonetheless occur due to what we’ve seen thus far,” said Gerard Pique. “If Madrid wins their four games they will be champions, but it is difficult for the big teams to be consistent. If we win all our three games, I think we’ll have a chance.”
Atletico might be dissatisfied too, given they spurned quite a lot of probabilities in throughout a dominant first half, earlier than Ronald Koeman’s facet recovered in the second.
Jan Oblak needed to deny Messi after a classic run ahead from the Argentine, who then had a well-placed free-kick in the final minute, just for Atletico to look at the ball spin inches large.
“We began higher they usually completed a little bit higher,” Oblak said. “Real Madrid has four games left but for sure they are going to be tought games. We have to keep going.”
Diego Simeone mentioned on Friday Suarez had been “vindicated” since being forced to leave Barcelona, his 19 goals making him top scorer for the team.
Koeman admitted it would be “strange” for everybody, together with Messi, who despatched a heartfelt open letter to his former team-mate, neighbour and greatest good friend final 12 months.
SUAREZ ‘ALWAYS WELCOME’
The pair shared a couple of phrases in the centre circle earlier than kick-off after the Camp Nou stadium announcer had already beamed that Suarez “will all the time be welcome”.
But, in truth, the Uruguayan was not at his ruthless best as a handful of openings went unconverted in a contest full of chances but that lacked precision when it mattered most.
Messi was repeatedly knocked over in the opening few minutes before Gerard Pique went through the back of Suarez, both teams scrapping for control.
Atletico slowly took charge, helped by the departure of Sergio Busquets, who was replaced by Ilaix Moriba after a clash of heads that meant he had to be taken to hospital for tests.
Without Busquets, Barcelona were rudderless for a while and the Atletico chances came thick and fast.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to palm away Marcos Llorente’s shot and then stick out a foot to deny Suarez from the angle.
Suarez then tried to nod in the rebound after a winding run from Yannick Carrasco before claiming a penalty after feeling a flick of Ter Stegen’s hand across his head.
Barcelona were rattled, the usually steady Ter Stegen booting one ball straight into the stands, only for Messi to give Atletico a reality check, his driving run past six chasers opening the space for a shot, but Oblak tipped it wide.
Felipe fired over from a well-worked Atleti short corner before half-time but Barca were better after the break, with both Ilaix and Pique going close shortly after the hour.
Both coaches made changes, hoping to inspire a winner. Ousmane Dembele was one of them and he should have grabbed it with six minutes left but headed over from six yards in perhaps the best chance of the game.
Messi could have won it at the end, standing over the ball with a free-kick placed centrally and 25 yards out. Atletico held their breath, the ball whistling just wide of Oblak’s post.
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