Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will have to put recent struggles behind them this weekend as they continue their scrap to finish in La Liga’s top four.

Barca’s hopes of winning a trophy this season were dealt two blows in a week after they followed up defeat by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup with a surprise loss to Athletic Bilbao on Thursday in the Copa del Rey.

Xavi Hernandez’s side still have the Europa League, with a tie against Napoli to come next month, but La Liga is surely out of reach given they sit 17 points behind Real Madrid at the top.

“We have lost two titles in a week but we still have the league and Europa League,” said Xavi on Thursday.

 

Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the new sports website by Times of Malta

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