MADRID (AP) — Barcelona must step up its defense to halt a back-to-back losing streak and stay close to Real Madrid in the race for the La Liga title.
Barcelona host second-bottom Levante on Sunday after conceding six goals in their last two games. Barcelona lost its league lead on Monday with a 4-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey and a 2-1 loss to Girona on Monday. Lamine Yamal missed a penalty against Girona.
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After 24 rounds, Barcelona is two points behind Real Madrid.
Hansi Flick’s side had not conceded more than one goal in their last five games before the back-to-back defeats.
“We need to improve,” Barcelona centre-back Paulo Cubasi told Mundo Deportivo. “We cannot concede goals. We had a bad game[against Girona]and we were lacking in every aspect. We need to criticize ourselves and work together.”
Barcelona was lucky against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals, trailing only 4-0 at halftime.
“They started very intensely and an early goal disrupted our plans and from then on it was difficult to be the protagonist of the game,” said Kubasi of the defeat to Atletico.
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Levante, ranked 19th, has failed to score in three of its last four league games. Only one win in the last seven games. The Valencian club lost 0-1 at home to third-placed Villarreal on Wednesday due to heavy rain in the Valencia region, a match postponed from last year.
key matchup
League leaders Real Madrid visit mid-table Osasuna on Saturday, looking to build on a 1-0 win over Benfica in Tuesday’s Champions League knockout first leg.
Real Madrid have won seven of their last eight games, with the only setback being a 4-2 loss to Benfica in the final round of the Champions League in January.
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Osasuna has lost two of its last three league games.
Fourth-placed Atletico Madrid hosts sixth-placed Espanyol on Saturday looking to end a three-match losing streak in La Liga. Diego Simeone’s side held a two-goal lead at half-time in a 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League.
Espanyol have gone seven consecutive league games without a win, losing five and drawing two.
Atletico are three points behind third-placed Villarreal, who host Valencia on Sunday.
stop action
Barcelona midfielder Pedri and striker Marcus Rashford have returned to training after injuries and are likely to feature against Levante on Sunday. Pedri has a muscle injury and Rashford is nursing a knee problem.
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It is unclear whether Rodrygo, who suffered a hamstring injury, will return to Madrid for the Osasuna game, while Nico Williams is out with a groin injury and will miss Athletic Bilbao’s home game against Elche on Friday.
off court
Ahead of Madrid’s game against Osasuna, much of the focus has been on Vinicius Junior, who accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestani of calling him a “monkey” during their Champions League match in Lisbon. Madrid said on Thursday it had sent “all available evidence” of the alleged racist insult to UEFA.
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