Last weekend the Spanish title race seemed to have swung decisively back in the favour of Barcelona. A win at home against Almeria as routine as could be expected was preceded by a draw in the Madrid derby that did neither Real nor Atletico any favours. It's a very different picture this weekend as Barca, in as meek a fashion imaginable, had their grip on La Liga's trophy loosened as a result of a 1-0 defeat by Real Valladolid.
This was not a Liga dark-horse they were visiting; this was as close to a guaranteed three points for Barcelona as exists in the Spanish top flight. Eight straight wins against Valladolid came before this fatal blunder at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla, where they won 3-1 last season. But Barcelona never looked likely to take the full share of the points from the first whistle to last as Juan Ignacio Martinez's expertly drilled outfit not only threw Barca's title charge off course but also gave themselves a vigorous boost in their quest for survival.
This was not a Liga dark-horse they were visiting; this was as close to a guaranteed three points for Barcelona as exists in the Spanish top flight. Eight straight wins against Valladolid came before this fatal blunder at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla, where they won 3-1 last season. But Barcelona never looked likely to take the full share of the points from the first whistle to last as Juan Ignacio Martinez's expertly drilled outfit not only threw Barca's title charge off course but also gave themselves a vigorous boost in their quest for survival.