Top Takeaway: Barcelona Struggles Shake Up The Title Race

Barcelona celebrated their 125th anniversary on Friday, but as the newspaper Diario AS put it “Las Palmas ate their birthday cake” a day later.

Barça’s 2-1 defeat at Montjuic was their third league game in a row without a win, after a loss to Real Sociedad and drawing with Celta Vigo.

It’s a run of form that has allowed both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid back into the title race, squandering Barça’s early-season advantage. Yes, Barça had some valid excuses for another bad day.

Lamine Yamal came on as a substitute in the second half, while Dani Olmo was unable to play due to fitness issues. Marc Casadó was suspended, and Alejandro Balde had to leave the match due to an injury.

Additionally, some concerned opposing teams have started to exploit their high defensive line.

Coach Hansi Flick spoke about a “disconnect” in the team post-match, suggesting the team is less compact and less committed. But credit too to Las Palmas, whose transformation under Diego Martinez has been radical.

When he took over in October, the team was winless in nine league matches, making them the worst in La Liga.

However, since then, they have secured four victories in six games.

Best match of the Weekend

Any match featuring a 97th-minute equalizer would be a strong candidate for the game of the weekend, but this one was particularly special.

Ladislav Krejcí’s stunning first-time, dipping volley from distance secured a 2-2 draw for Girona at La Ceramica, a result that seemed improbable when Villarreal jumped to an early 2-0 lead.

This outcome is a setback for Villarreal, who are vying for a top-four finish, while it serves as a reminder that last season’s surprise team, Girona, still has plenty of fight left in them.

Best Goal of the Weekend

Atletico Madrid have been enjoying themselves lately. This 5-0 win at Valladolid made it 11 goals scored in just four days, and Griezmann’s second-half strike at Valladolid was a genuine goal-of-the-season contender.

Griezmann received Julián Álvarez’s pass on the turn, flicking the ball through his legs, before applying the finish. It was so good that even the Valladolid fans ended up applauding.

Best Player of the Weekend

Bellingham made a significant impact in just 45 minutes during a 2-0 victory over Getafe, bringing Madrid to within a point of leaders Barça, with a game in hand.

The England midfielder first converted a penalty to put Madrid ahead, hesitating in his run to wait for goalkeeper David Soria to commit before calmly placing the ball in the opposite direction.

Eight minutes later, he assisted Kylian Mbappé for a crucial second goal, providing the forward with a much-needed confidence boost.

Although Bellingham was substituted at halftime due to feeling dizzy, he had already done enough to secure the three points.