Real Madrid may have handed lifeline to Barcelona

Barcelona may have been handed a gift by Real Madrid last night in the shape of a 1-1 draw against Valladolid at the Municipal José Zorrilla stadium.

This now gives Barça options and they now depend on themselves to finish with a flurry and hope Atlético slip up once more, too. Nobody saw it coming and you would think that Real Madrid with a team full of world class players would dominate 16th placed Valladolid. It wasn’t to be however and Barcelona suddenly find themselves all the better for it.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti rued after the game that it wasn’t through “a lack of attitude, rather they didn’t have the mental energy” in their poor 1-1 result away to Valladolid.

This draw effectively rules out Real Madrid’s title hopes and gives Barcelona a chance as they go down to the wire with Diego Simeone’s men. Football is a funny game and last night proved just that. The English Premier League also has its ups and downs with Liverpool surrendering 3 valuable points by letting humble Crystal Palace score 3 goals in quick succession. This is what happened last night. It’s the end of the season, minds are elsewhere and suddenly you are on the back foot.

Cristiano Ronaldo came off the field after just 7 minutes of play. When he left the field the rest of the team seemed to leave with him. What is going to happen against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League final if they give up this easily?

Sergio Ramos scored just before half time and Los Blancos thought that it was all over bar the shouting. They thought that a one nil result would carry them through and earn three points in the process. But a lack of concentration in the team as a whole let the home side in with a chance in the 85th minute courtesy of Osorio.

Now the league will go down to wire with just Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in contention.