Barcelona fell numerically in the trap of a draw at the home of arch-rivals and bottom-ranked Espanyol 2-2, then rivals Real Madrid, winner of the stubborn neighbor Stadium Getafe 3-0, followed him in the top spot in the Spanish league, the night before yesterday, in the 19th stage .
Atletico Madrid continued its awakening, and became third on goal difference from Sevilla, on Friday, with Bilbao, with its third victory over its guest Levante 2-1.
And lifted the defending champion in the last two seasons to 40 points, two goals behind Real Madrid, before their trip to Saudi Arabia, next week, to run the Spanish Super Cup with Atletico Madrid and Valencia.
Despite completing his ranks, with the exception of the absence of his German goalkeeper, Mark Andreas Terre Stegen, who had a knee injury, Barcelona were the weakest side in the first half against his Catalan rivals.
From a steady ball to Mark Roca, Espanyol opened the scoring with the header of veteran midfielder David Lopez in the net of Brazilian substitute goalkeeper Neto (23).
But the team of coach Abelardo, the former Barcelona defender between 1994 and 2002, and the third coach for Espanyol this season, after David Gayego and Pablo Machin, almost got the equalizer had it not been for Uruguay's strike, Luis Suárez, from inside the area on the left post of goalkeeper Diego Lopez's goalkeeper (42).
In the second half, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde, who will be under additional pressure due to this result, tried to overturn the equation, pushing the midfielder, Chilean Arturo Vidal, instead of the Croatian Ivan Rakitic.
And he had what he wanted, so his team dusted himself when Suarez snapped his 11th goal this season, with a beautiful volley after a cross from back Jordi Alba, to equal the numbers (50).
Suarez made the second goal with a beautiful, spin-off craftsmanship that Vidal met with a strong header, shaking Lopez's desperate net (59). Suarez had four goals and six assists in Barcelona's last 10 goals in the league.
At a time when Barcelona was looking for a third goal, its Dutch midfielder, Frankie de Jong, was sent off for a second warning (75).
The defending champion retreated, the Chinese Wu Li nearly equaled, but Netto flew out and forbidden him to score with a beautiful header (77). In light of Espanyol's attempts to equalize, Suarez wasted the double goal against Lopez (38 years old), 87, and Wu Li responded with a fatal equalizer when he slipped behind the defense and hit the ground to the right of Neto, becoming the first Chinese player to score in the Barcelona net in various competitions ( 88).
Suarez said after the tie: «We have done the most difficult, which is the return in this difficult field, but we are disappointed to lose two points, there are things that must improve regardless of the outcome».
Courtois and Varane starred
Real had taken the lead by passing the stubborn Getafe stadium trap, defeating it 3-0, achieving its first victory after three draws.
And Getafe (seventh ranking), who lost an orphan this season at home, before Saturday's match against Barcelona, imposed a difficult match on the men of French coach Zinedine Zidane, especially in the first half, where his Belgian goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, shed his team from achieved goals.
"We managed to win against an opponent who was difficult to handle. Courtois tackled three or four chances, everyone knows his ability, he is a great goalkeeper and helps us to score points," said Real Dani Carbajal. From a wrong exit by goalkeeper David Syria after a corner, the French defense center, Rafael Rafael, scored the opening goal after a cross from his compatriot, left-back Vertlan Mendi, which the goalkeeper mistakenly turned into the net (34).
Almost equalizer came through Moroccan Faisal Fajr, with a powerful shot from outside the region that passed beside the right post (38), the French Karim Benzema answered, and the top scorer of the scorers, with a goal difference from Argentine Lionel Messi, Barcelona star, with a shot from a narrow angle, which was sent away by the goalkeeper Syria brilliantly to a corner (41).
In the second half, Courtois continued his brilliance and repelled Jaime Mata's solo ball (49).
As happened in the first half when Getafe dominated without registration, Real took advantage of a second free kick, also through Varan, who rose high and headed the ball to German midfielder Toni Kroos in the middle of the goal (53), confirmed by the "VAR" technology to assist video arbitration. Real kept his lead, and almost added a third goal through Vinceus and Bale in stoppage time, but the net smiled at the veteran Croatian, Luca Modric, in the empty net after a rebound made by his Uruguayan substitute Federico Valverde (90 + 5).
Zidane spoke of Varan's performance: "He is happy with his performance, and it is important when Sergio Ramos is absent to have a second leader."
Chinese media praise Wu Li's goal
Chinese media praised Boo Li, who scored a goalless draw for his team, Espanyol, against Barcelona, saying he had launched a "new chapter" in Chinese football.
Millions of users shared what the international attacker achieved, via social media, especially "Weibo", which is parallel to "Twitter" in China.
And the official Chinese "CGTN" network saw that Wu "became the first Chinese player to score against Barcelona in various competitions at all", considering that the 28-year-old "revived Espanyol on his own."
"He launched a very chapter in history, for Wu it was an evening that would have stuck in his memory for a long time."
Shanghai ■ AFP
Al Barsha and Real are fighting the "Super" in Saudi Arabia next week.
The title holder Barcelona has 40 points, two goals behind Real Madrid.
Barcelona numerically reduced fell into the trap of a draw with Espanyol 2-2.