La Liga

Barcelona overcame a major challenge in the La Liga title race on Saturday, beating in-form Real Sociedad 1-0 at home.

Lionel Messi converted a penalty after 81 minutes, but there was some controversy involved with the decision to put the ball on the spot for a handling offence. La Real had given the Catalans a great battle until that point. 

The win moves the Blaugrana two points ahead of Real Madrid, who will face Real Betis on Sunday.

The Txuri Urdin came into this match having won nine of their last 10 in all competitions, and they were more than willing to surge forward early.

It resulted in an open and expansive match between two attack-minded teams, although first-half chances were rare. An early mistake from Marc-Andre ter Stegen nearly set up Alexander Isak, and Martin Braithwaite―making his first start for Barcelona―saw an effort saved by Alex Remiro.

Braithwaite again put Remiro to work minutes later, and Gerard Pique made an excellent block to keep Isak from testing Ter Stegen on the other end of the pitch.

Messi struck a frustrated figure early against the Basques, who did a great job isolating him. It was telling Braithwaite was the most dangerous man on the pitch for the Catalans:

Ander Barrenetxea set up Isak for the visitors' best chance of the half, but his header missed the target. Remiro made a good save on Messi just past the half-hour mark, and Ivan Rakitic picked out Braithwaite on the resulting corner, with his header rising over the bar.

Cristian Portu came within inches of connecting with a sharp cross, and Messi tested Remiro again before running into a booking. Per Spanish football writer Euan McTear, the Ballon d'Or holder set a new―unwanted―milestone in the process:

He was lucky to still be on the pitch after he wasn't punished for this stamp on Diego Llorente:

The half ended on a sour note for the Catalans, with Pique in visible pain and holding his neck after clearing a corner.

La Real started the second half on the front foot, with Barrenetxea shooting wide and Portu firing a dangerous cross into the box. Pique cleared but again reached for his neck after heading the ball.

On the other side of the pitch, Messi set up a nice attack with Jordi Alba before shooting wide. The Argentinian got a chance with a free-kick, but Mikel Merino headed it clear before it even crossed the penalty spot.

The Catalans started to increase the pace:

La Real responded by introducing Mikel Oyarzabal, who surprisingly started from the bench. 

Remiro made two big saves in quick succession, denying Rakitic's drive and Pique's header from the resulting corner. He appeared to be beaten when Alba flashed a teasing cross into the box, but none of the Barcelona players were able to reach it.

The Txuri Urdin were still a threat on the counter, and Nacho Monreal reminded the Catalans of the danger with a shot that was blocked. Oyarzabal also went close, blasting over after the defence forgot to close him down. 

Isak should have given the visitors the lead with 15 minutes left to play, finding himself close to Ter Stegen but firing wide. 

But just as La Real seemed the more likely team to score, the VAR threw Barcelona a lifeline. After Monreal missed a chance for the visitors, the replay went all the way back to the start of the counter and concluded Robin Le Normand handled the ball. Per sports writer Samuel Marsden, the action had advanced quite a bit already:

Replays suggested the ball hit Le Normand on the upper arm, which was in line with his body. Messi stepped up for the penalty and converted.

The Txuri Urdin surged forward in search of an equaliser, but Barcelona did a good job shutting down their efforts. Alba thought he had added a second goal deep in added time, but this time the VAR did not cooperate, chalking it off for offside.

What's Next?

Barcelona visit Mallorca on Saturday, and La Real visit Eibar on Tuesday.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has denied speculation he has been approached by Juventus or could link up with the French national team soon, but there are no guarantees he stays with Los Blancos in the long run.

Per Goal's Chris Burton, he was asked whether it was true the Bianconeri had been in touch: "No, no ... No one has contacted me, and I don't know anything. You know what it's like—people say a lot of things."

On his long-term future in the Spanish capital, he said: "It's not like that. Knowing what comes next doesn't exist. I feel supported by the club, yes, that's clear. The people that work here—we're all pulling in the same direction. But after all that, I know how this works. I'm coach of Real Madrid today, but tomorrow that could change."

Zidane became a world-class midfielder in Turin before moving to Real in 2001, starting his lengthy association with the Spanish giants. He ended his playing career in 2006 and has spent his entire coaching career in the capital, as an adviser, assistant and eventually three-time UEFA Champions League-winning manager.

He was linked with former club Juventus after stepping away from the Real job in 2018, before returning in March 2019.

Maurizio Sarri took over from Massimiliano Allegri in Turin, but his first season has not been a major success so far, and rumours he could be replaced in the summer have started to crop up.

Barcelona legend Pep Guardiola has also been linked to the team, and Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has admitted the Bianconeri have considered him:

Zidane's appeal comes from his ability to get the most out of Cristiano Ronaldo―the two had a great working relationship in Madrid―and his European pedigree. Juventus are desperate for Champions League glory, last winning Europe's top club competition in 1996.

The 47-year-old seems unlikely to leave Real anytime soon, however. He only returned to the post a year ago and has Los Blancos leading La Liga after their Clasico win over Barcelona. He has won the Spanish top division only once as a coach, in the 2016-17 campaign, and won it just once as a player as well.

Despite his struggles, Sarri still has Juventus in a great position to win Serie A―they trail AS Roma by two points and have a match in hand―and qualified for the Champions League knockout stages. They lost 1-0 to Lyon in the first leg of their tie.

Real Madrid visit Real Betis in La Liga on Sunday following a potentially huge result in the title race.

Los Blancos' 2-0 Clasico win over Barcelona put them back on top of the table, but the two Spanish giants are separated by just one point and the Blaugrana could return to the summit with a win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Betis' form has collapsed in recent weeks, with no victories in their last seven in all competitions.

Date: Sunday, March 8

Time: 9 p.m. local, 8 p.m. GMT, 4 p.m ET

TV: beIN Sports (USA)

Stream: Premier Player, LaLigaTV, beIN Connect

Odds: Betis: 61-20, Madrid: 4-5, draw: 61-20 (via Caesars Palace)

Preview

Zinedine Zidane's men arrive in Seville after their latest Clasico success. Madrid's victory over Barca could be the difference between La Liga's top two at the end of the campaign, but Los Blancos must re-establish the impressive form they displayed against all-comers earlier this season.

February turned out to be a bad month for Madrid, as they lost 4-3 to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey quarter-final and then played out a surprise 2-2 La Liga draw with Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

A 1-0 loss followed at Levante as the wheels appeared to come off Real's season, and a 2-1 UEFA Champions League defeat to Manchester City in the round-of-16 first-leg compounded Zidane's agony.

However, as February passed into March, Real completed a professional job against Barca, once again providing them control at the top of the league.

Madrid's remaining fixtures allow them a relatively agreeable path to the title, but only if they don't slip against inferior opponents.

Betis are a team who are unlikely to offer significant resistance after watching their campaign crumble after Christmas.

The Andalusia club had started this season poorly, but just one defeat during a seven-match spell in the winter hinted Betis might finish the campaign flexing their muscles.

However, results have once again hit a brick wall. Betis are eight points above the relegation zone, and staying away from the drop will be their only ambition.

Rubi's men last won a game on January 19 after an impressive 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad, but Betis don't have the confidence to match Madrid if the visitors turn the screw at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.

Alaves and Valencia couldn't be separated during Friday's 1-1 draw in La Liga at the Mendizorrotza Stadium.

Daniel Parejo gave Valencia a 34th-minute lead, but Edgar Mendez rescued a point for the hosts with 17 minutes remaining.

The battle for top spot in Spain continues this weekend. Barcelona welcome Real Sociedad on Saturday, while leaders Real Madrid travel to Real Betis on Sunday.

La Liga Table (Played, Goal Difference, Points):

1. Real Madrid 26, 31, 56

2. Barca 26, 31, 55

3. Sevilla 26, 10, 46

4. Getafe 26, 12, 45

5. Atletico Madrid 26, 10, 44

6. Real Sociedad 25, 12, 43

7. Valencia 27, -1, 42

8. Villarreal 26, 7, 38

9. Granada 26, 1, 37

10. Athletic Bilbao 26, 3, 34

11. Alaves 27, -8, 32

12. Levante 26, -8, 32

13. Osasuna 26, -5, 31

14. Real Betis 26, -6, 30

15. Real Valladolid 26, -7, 29

16. Eibar 25, -12, 27

17. Celta Vigo 26, -12, 25

18. Real Mallorca 26, -17, 22

19. Leganes 26, -19, 20

20. Espanyol 26, -22, 20

Valencia missed the opportunity to climb up the division after failing to maintain a clean sheet in the Basque country.

The visitors were the aggressors during the early stages as they attempted to break the deadlock. Parejo went close for Los Ches, and Denis Cheryshev missed from close range.

Valencia's pressure finally was rewarded before half-time when Parejo's free-kick met the top corner.

Daniel Wass nearly doubled the lead before the interval, and his miss proved to be crucial during the second half.

Alaves improved after the interval. Joselu and Lucas Perez became increasingly active as the hosts chased a way back into the match.

A set piece undid Valencia midway through the second half when Mendez finished from Victor Laguardia's assist.

Neither team could dominate in the closing stages, and Alaves move up to 11th after collecting a share of the spoils.

Barcelona manager Quique Setien has said he's not concerned by the recent form of Lionel Messi.

The forward has not found the net in six of his last seven matches and was ineffective on Sunday in the team's 2-0 loss to rivals Real Madrid. It was a defeat that sees Los Blancos lead the way by two points ahead of Barcelona going into the weekend's La Liga matches. 

Since Setien took over, the style of the team has shifted, as has the role of Messi. The manager said he's not worried about the blanks his star man has drawn as of late though, per Goal's Russell Greaves:

"I don't care that he didn't score recently. If he scored it would be better, but it has never bothered me. It could happen to Leo or anyone. He is having chances and that is the important thing, that chances are generated.

"He has been scoring goals for 14 years, if he now has a period in which he scores less it is not important."

Although Messi has failed to hit the back of the net in a number of games recently, in the one game he did score he struck on four occasions, helping Barcelona romp to a 5-0 win over Eibar:

However, his influence was diminished compared to his usual high standards in the Clasico. Squawka Football provided the numbers behind an afternoon to forget for the Barcelona captain:

Messi has been sensational for a long time at Barcelona, almost singlehandedly hauling the team to results on many occasions under previous boss Ernesto Valverde.

One of Setien's biggest challenges as manager will be relieving the 32-year-old of some of that burden, while ensuring he remains prolific in front of goal.

Under the new manager, Messi is picking up the ball in deeper areas, seeking to get Barcelona attacks moving. However, that's lessened the number of times he gets into goalscoring positions and the goals have dried up a little as such.

Per BR Football, even with the goals not flowing, Messi has still been able to provide a creative force and was recently recognised as La Liga's best player last month:

Rafael Hernandez of the Grup14 fan site said that despite those numbers, Messi hasn't reached his usual heights lately:

As Setien himself noted, Messi's goalscoring record is remarkable and it would be a shock if he didn't start to find the net with unerring frequency again soon.

What Barcelona require if they are to seriously challenge for the La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles is more from the rest of what is currently an underperforming squad. As of yet, Setien has struggled to get that reaction, as did his predecessor.

Barcelona's new signing Martin Braithwaite has said he believes he's working with the "best passer in the world" in Lionel Messi.

The 28-year-old made a shock switch to the Camp Nou last month from Leganes, with injuries to Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele allowing the Catalan club to make an emergency acquisition.

Braithwaite was considered a surprise choice for the Blaugrana, although he made an impressive start to life at the club, helping to set up two goals in the recent 5-0 win over Eibar. He was also brought on as a substitute in the 2-0 Clasico loss to Real Madrid on Sunday.

Speaking to Javier Giraldo and Didac Peyret of Sport, Braithwaite detailed what it's like to be working with such a high calibre of player:

"I just see how the players play, look at how they do (things) naturally, it's more easy for me to adapt to them. If I do something they do naturally they don't have to change. I just have to be there where they put the ball."

When asked about how he can work with Messi, he said: "I just have to play my game. I like to make good runs and I have the best passer in the world, so for me, it's really easy."

In the win over Eibar, Braithwaite was given 18 minutes by manager Quique Setien, and he was able to build up an instant link with Messi:

After making his debut, the Dane spoke with great pride about being on the same side as the Barcelona icon:

Braithwaite has struggled to find consistency in his career since leaving Toulouse for Middlesbrough in 2017. However, after spending last season on loan at Leganes and shining, his move was made permanent in the summer.

He scored six goals in 24 appearances for the team in 2019/20, which was enough to prompt Barcelona into paying his release clause. 

Although he may not be at the standard typically expected of a Blaugrana forward, Braithwaite's dynamism and versatility will be useful for Barcelona up until the end of the campaign. Dembele is poised to miss the rest of the season, whereas Suarez is anticipated to be out until April after knee surgery.

Spanish football journalist Alvaro Romeo said Barcelona should have ensured they had more depth up top ahead of the season:

Braithwaite will be seeking to stake his claim for a regular spot in the side in the coming weeks. Having watched his side fail to take chances in the loss to Real Madrid last weekend, the Dane may even be given an opportunity from the start against Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday.  

With Messi alongside him in attack, there will be no shortage of quality service for the new Barcelona forward whenever they are on the field together. It's up to the former Leganes star to seize this opportunity.

Spain's Minister of Health has confirmed Barcelona's UEFA Champions League tie with Napoli does not need to be played behind closed doors amid concerns over the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Barca will host Napoli at the Camp Nou in the second leg of their last-16 tie on March 18.

Salvador Illa told RAC1 (h/t Football-Italia):

"The match is not at risk. There is no danger of the game having to be played behind closed doors.

"We have decided to close the stadiums only for the games that would be attended by people from the affected areas but that's not the case here.

"The only thing that we are preoccupied with is the exodus of many fans.

"The Champions League game between Barcelona and Napoli could be played regularly, as Naples is not currently in the zone at risk, like northern Italy."

Illa's comments come after UEFA confirmed Atalanta's Champions League clash with Valencia and Inter Milan's UEFA Europa League match with Getafe will be played in empty stadiums:

Italy has been hit hard by the virus:

Only China, where the virus was first discovered, and South Korea have had more confirmed cases.

Bergamo—where Atalanta are based—and Milan are located in the northern region of Lombardy, which has been one of the worst affected by the outbreak of the virus. Naples is in the southern region of Campania.

All matches to be played in Italy until April 3 will take place behind closed doors.

Several fixtures that were supposed to be played last weekend were also postponed, including Juventus' clash with Inter, a match that could have significant ramifications for the title race. It will be played on Sunday.

Barca and Napoli played out a 1-1 draw at the latter's San Paolo Stadium on February 25.

Antoine Griezmann cancelled out Dries Mertens' opener, giving the Catalan giants an away goal to bring back to the Camp Nou.

Real Madrid have confirmed Eden Hazard has undergone successful surgery on his right ankle injury. 

A statement on the club's official website read:

"Eden Hazard has successfully undergone surgery today in Dallas on a fracture in the fibula of his right foot. The operation was supervised by Real Madrid Medical Services. Hazard will now remain under observation until he gets the all clear to being his rehabilitation process."

According to Marca, the Belgian will now be sidelined for the next two or three months. As a result, he may not play again for Los Blancos this season. Real's final La Liga game of the season is scheduled for the weekend of May 23 against Leganes. If they manage to advance to the UEFA Champions League final, their season will end on May 30.

Hazard, 29, could face a race to be fit for UEFA Euro 2020 in the summer. The tournament kicks off on June 12, and Belgium's first Group B game is against Russia in Saint Petersburg on June 13.

Hazard has endured a frustrating debut season with Real after joining the Madrid giants from Chelsea in June for an initial £89 million fee:

He missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury and was then sidelined again for December and January with an ankle problem. Having started two games in succession, Hazard limped out of Real's 1-0 loss to Levante on Feb. 22.

If he does not return to fitness before the end of the season, he will finish the campaign with a disappointing return of one goal and one assist in 10 La Liga appearances.

In Hazard's absence, Zinedine Zidane will have to rely on the likes of Vinicius Junior, Isco and Rodrygo to fill the gap on the left flank.

Barcelona boss Quique Setien said he apologised to the squad for coach Eder Sarabia's behaviour during their defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday.

Footage emerged of an animated Sarabia vocalising his displeasure at the team during the 2-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu (warning: NSFW language):

Setien told El Periodico (h/t Reuters, via ESPN):

"We apologised to everyone, we cannot behave like that.

"We don't like to see things like this, we have committed an error and we should try to avoid something like this happening again.

"This situation has affected me a lot, because I am concerned about the image of the club. We need to take care of that image, because we can be criticised for substitutions, tactics, etc, but not for our behaviour."

Per The Spanish Football Podcast, he added on Sarabia:

Setien also said he dislikes cameras being pointed at the dugout:

Amid reports that Barcelona's players were unhappy with Sarabia's behaviour, The Spanish Football Podcast suggested there was nothing out of the ordinary with the way he spoke:

ESPN's David Cartlidge and Football Espana's Colin Millar were similarly in agreement:

It's little wonder Sarabia was unhappy with what he saw from Barca's players during the match. The Catalan giants had the better of the first half, exerting a degree of control over proceedings and containing Madrid when they attempted to put pressure on the visitors.

They failed to make the most of their first-half chances, though, as Los Blancos goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois twice kept out Lionel Messi and also denied Arthur.

Real were much improved after the break, while Barca's performance dropped off significantly. Vinicius Jr. broke the deadlock in the 71st minute, and Mariano Diaz sealed the result in injury time.

Barca could have opened up a five-point lead atop La Liga with a victory—which would have effectively been six because they would have the superior head-to-head record—but instead they are one point behind with an inferior head-to-head record.

The Blaugrana face a tricky clash with sixth-place Real Sociedad on Saturday, while Madrid travel to Seville to face Real Betis, who are 14th, on Sunday.

Real Sociedad travel to Barcelona on Saturday hoping to clinch their first win at the Camp Nou in almost 30 years, while Quique Setien's side have a chance to temporarily reclaim top spot in La Liga.

The Blaugrana lost 2-0 to Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday and dropped to second in the table, but a home win over Sociedad would put them back atop the pile for at least 24 hours.

La Real aren't to be underestimated despite their woeful record at the Camp Nou, however. The Basque outfit haven't won at the venue since May 1991, while their last point at the ground came via a 1-1 draw in April 1995.

Sociedad have the longest active win streak in La Liga at three matches, leaving Barca at risk of entering a rut if they fail to win for a third match in a row in all competitions.

Date: Saturday, March 7

Time: 5:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

Live Stream: Premier Player (UK), beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)

TV Info: LaLigaTV (UK) beIN Sports 3 (U.S.)

Odds

Barcelona: 4-11

Draw: 43-10

Real Sociedad: 7-1

Via Caesars Palace.

Preview

Setien has gone successive games without a win for the first time since he was appointed Barcelona manager in January, and there are no guarantees that run will end with the visit of Sociedad.

Imanol Alguacil's side have scored 43 times in La Liga this season—only Barca (62) and Real (48) have scored more—though it's notable they've lost their last two top-flight matches away from home.

A 1-1 draw at Napoli in the opening leg of Barcelona's UEFA Champions League last-16 matchup was perhaps acceptable in Setien's first taste of the competition, but the more recent loss at Real was less palatable.

Catalunya Radio (h/t Javier Miguel of AS) reported some players at the Camp Nou feel the coach is out of his depth, and The Independent's Dermot Corrigan discussed his fate on Off The Ball:

Richard Martin of Reuters suggested it was premature to be talking about a departure after fewer than two months in the post:

Sociedad travel to Catalonia on Saturday hoping to exacerbate those issues, and a run of five consecutive wins across all competitions has them in good stead to at least have a chance at what would be a historic win.

The most recent of those victories came in the 1-0 result against Mirandes in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi, ending the club's long wait for a final appearance, per The Spanish Football Podcast:

La Real are sixth in the table but sit just three points off third with a game in hand.

Barcelona will target a 20th successive home win over Sociedad (in all competitions) when the two collide at the Camp Nou, though an in-form lineup can't be ruled out of causing the upset.