Barcelona frustrated as Real stumbles toward title
Updated: 2008-04-08 10:48
MADRID: Barcelona once again failed to capitalize on the latest Real Madrid slip with a 0-0 draw against Getafe on Sunday keeping it seven points behind the league leader.
Real drew 1-1 with Real Mallorca on Saturday but neither Barcelona nor Villarreal, who lost 2-0 at Sevilla, could take advantage.
Barcelona outclassed Getafe at Camp Nou but could not find a way through, hitting the post three times and spurning several other chances.
Villarreal is level on points with Barca but stays second, courtesy of its superior head-to-head record, despite seeing its nine-match unbeaten run come to an end with a 2-0 defeat at Sevilla.
 Barcelona's Thierry Henry fights for the ball against Getafe's David Cortes during their Spanish First Division Soccer League match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, April 6, 2008. [Agencies] |
"We have never been title contenders," said Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini. "Sevilla were superior to us over the 90 minutes and they were very good - although we were mediocre."
A 23rd goal of the season from Brazilian Luis Fabiano and a late Freddy Kanoute penalty downed Villarreal.
Barca coach Frank Rijkaard made two changes from the team that started the 3-2 defeat at Real Betis with Lilian Thuram and Eric Abidal making way for Sylvinho and Gaby Milito.
Ruben de la Red, being watched by a host of clubs, should have put Getafe ahead after six minutes, but Victor Valdes turned his effort around the post.
From then on Barca seized control with Milito going close and Samuel Eto'o smashing an effort against the post, which rebounded to safety.
Substitute Giovani Dos Santos and Xavi Fernandez both hit the post after the interval as Getafe rode its luck to the extreme.
Barca must now switch its attention to Wednesday's Champions League quarterfinal against Schalke where it holds a 1-0 lead from the first leg.
Getafe is also still in Europe and host Bayern Munich on Thursday in the the UEFA Cup quarterfinal after a creditable 1-1 first-leg draw in Germany.
Villarreal had been unbeaten since losing 3-1 to Real at the beginning of January but Sevilla, which was challenging for the title itself at this stage last season, showed why it is so strong at home.
The win keeps Sevilla's Champions League hopes alive as it lies five points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid.
"That was our best game at home all season against the most in-form team in the league," enthused Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez. "Now we have to go to Mallorca and win there."
Fabiano's 23rd goal of a fantastic season gave Sevilla the initiative and Kanoute wrapped up the game with a penalty in the closing stages.
Atletico crushed nine-man Almeria 6-3 to stay in pole position with Racing Santander falling three points behind after a 3-1 home defeat to Deportivo La Coruna.
Atletico had put the pressure on Sevilla by blasting six past Almeria in a 6-3 thriller, which had seven goals and two sendings off in an action-filled first half.
"It was a strange game and we will have to analyze what we did," said Atletico coach Javier Aguirre.
"But the good thing is we got the three points and that our chasing rivals (Espanyol and Racing) didn't pick up points."
Espanyol lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao and a UEFA Cup spot now looks its best hope.
Atletico has not played in the Champions League since the 1996-97 season and will be desperate not to blow this chance with just seven games left.
Valencia is relying on the Kings Cup final, against Getafe on April 16, for a place in Europe after a 1-0 defeat by lowly Real Murcia left it languishing down in 13th place.
Elsewhere, Valladolid moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 3-0 win at bottom side Levante.
That result was bad news for Zaragoza, sixth last season, who is staring relegation in the face after a 3-0 home defeat by Real Betis left it in the bottom three.
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