Barcelona loses two points against Valencia in La Liga, while Atletico faces an unexpected defeat against Bilbao


The champions have ascended to the third position, holding a one-point advantage over Atletico Madrid. However, they still lag behind Real Madrid by four points and the unexpected frontrunners, Girona, by six points. It is worth noting that the champions have played one additional game compared to all three teams.
Barcelona’s coach, Xavi Hernandez, expressed his disappointment as he believed his team “surrendered two points” to Valencia during a highly competitive 1-1 draw in La Liga on Sunday.
The champions ascended to the third position, holding a one-point advantage over Atletico Madrid. However, they still lag behind Real Madrid by four points and the unexpected leaders Girona by six points. It is worth noting that they have played one more game than all three teams.
Earlier on Saturday, Atletico suffered a 2-0 defeat against Athletic Bilbao. Despite this setback, the Catalans were unable to fully capitalize on the situation in an exhilarating encounter on the eastern coast. Barcelona took the lead in the second half thanks to Joao Felix’s goal following a well-executed team play. However, their advantage was short-lived as Hugo Guillamon’s impressive shot equalized the score. Xavi expressed his disappointment with Barcelona’s performance in the opponent’s box, stating that the chances were clear but they failed to secure a victory. He believed that they gave away two points and felt unsatisfied with only taking one point from the game, despite the team’s overall good performance. Barcelona’s recent form has been concerning, with only one win in their last four league matches, including a heavy defeat against Girona. Their confidence was further shaken by a Champions League loss to Royal Antwerp, raising doubts about Xavi’s management. However, club figures, including president Joan Laporta, have shown their support for him. The upcoming match against Valencia is seen as a crucial one, with Spanish media labeling it as a ‘final’. Barca midfielder Pedri acknowledged that anything less than three points would be a tough blow for the team. He believed that their overall play was better than in the Girona game, despite not being able to score. Pedri also emphasized that the team stands united with the coach during these challenging moments and they are determined to turn things around. The game against Valencia was an intense one, with both teams creating opportunities. Barca took the lead through Felix early in the second half, assisted by Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha. However, Valencia equalized in the 70th minute, capitalizing on a defensive mistake by Ronald Araujo. Both teams had chances to score a winner, but ultimately the match ended in a draw. Valencia’s performance this season has been more solid compared to their relegation battle last year. Girona and Real Madrid have upcoming matches against Alaves and Villarreal respectively.
