The worst possible scenario for Barça’s last chance

After drawing in three of the last four days, Barça runs the risk of bidding farewell to the League this Sunday night at the Estadio de la Cerámica against Villarreal. Only victory is worth it, perhaps to extend the agony a little more, but there is also the possibility that it is to recover the illusion for the title. Real Madrid, which takes him four points ahead, first visited Athletic at San Mamés, a litmus test for the leader. If he exceeds it, there will be four days almost pending, but if Madrid loses Barça they will have an opportunity to reconnect hours later.

The problem for Quique Setién’s team is that no statistics allow them to be optimistic. Barça’s career at home has been depressing throughout the competition, adding 23 of the 48 points at stake, just two more than Osasuna (21), for example. And Villarreal have better numbers since the return of the competition, with five wins and a draw in six games, already pressing Sevilla to aspire to fourth place in the League, the last one that gives access to the Champions League. The team of Javi Calleja, with Gerard Moreno as a scorer, does not feel inferior to a Barça without spark at this point.

In short, if Madrid wins their match, a defeat or a draw by Barça downhill in Vila-real it will be an anecdote with a point of logic based on their sporting, physical and mental state. But if Madrid loses in Bilbao and Barça does not know how to take advantage of it, the feeling of failure will be greater. Setien will not be able to count on the injured De Jong, Umtiti and Dembélé, but the great suspense is knowing what will happen to Griezmann. Against Atlético, his former team, the coach humiliated him by giving him entry in added time and created a conflict that if it has not gone further is because the Frenchman has had common sense. Messi and Luis Suárez remain fixed, so Griezmann will fight for a place in the eleven with the boldness of Ansu Fati and the work of Braithwaite, if the system is a 4-3-3, or with the fight of Vidal or the freshness of Riqui Puig, if the scheme is a 4-4-2.

Griezmann is fine, I’ve exchanged a few words with him. Antoine is a great professional, “the Cantabrian coach explained this Saturday, pointing out that” deep down he can understand this situation, as it surely has happened other times in his career, to him and to other players. ” “He is very positive and I am sure that we can count on him one hundred percent when he has to return to the field,” added Setien.

In Villarreal, Javi Calleja has the loss of the defender Funes Mori. «It is being a dream resumption. Everything we had in mind is taking place. We are adding victories, playing well and we depend on ourselves. It is our best version and there are few finals left to achieve the goal, ”said the Madrid coach. «Barcelona is one of the best teams in the world, but it motivates us a lot and we have the hope of continuing with victory after victory. We came out psyched and the award was very nice to get closer to Champions League positions, “said the Villarreal coach.