MADRID: Barcelona maintained their slight La Liga title hopes as they came from 2-0 down to beat Villarreal 3-2 on an emotionally-charged night at El Madrigal when players and fans remembered Tito Vilanova.
However, Atletico Madrid remain in the driving seat for their first title in 18 years as they ground out a 1-0 win away to Valencia.
The Catalans paid their respects to former coach Vilanova with a minute’s silence before the game, but a miserable week looked set to end with a sixth league defeat of the season as Cani and Manu Trigueros gave Villarreal a commanding lead.
However, own goals from Gabriel and Mateo Musacchio brought Barca level before Lionel Messi grabbed the winner eight minutes from time.
Atletico continue to lead Barca by four points with just three games remaining, whilst Real Madrid fall to third, a further two points back, but with a game in hand.
“We played with fire,” Barca midfielder Andres Iniesta admitted.
“We weren’t playing badly but the goal just before half-time affected us. Then it went 2-0, but we fought until the end because that is all we can do until the end of the season.”
And the Spanish international added that Vilanova’s example in his fight with cancer for over two years will remain with them.
“Something like that always affects you a lot. We lived through a lot together and I am left with the example he has been to us until the end.”
Despite another difficult week off the field, Barca had started positively as Sergio Asenjo made a low save from Messi before Gabriel blocked Xavi’s goalbound effort. However, Villarreal were always dangerous on the counter-attack and after Marc Bartra had cleared Javier Aquino’s effort off the line, Barca were caught out again moments later when Jonathan Pereira crossed for Cani to slot home.
Trigueros doubled Villarreal’s advantage 10 minutes into the second-half when he was well-picked out by Aquino and cushioned a header low past Jose Manuel Pinto from the edge of the area. Barca got back into the game with a fortunate break 25 minutes from time when Dani Alves’ cross was deflected into his own net by Gabriel.
Alves was then the subject of a shocking incident as a banana was thrown at the Brazilian as he prepared to take a corner, provoking the full-back to take a bite of the banana before continuing on with the game. AFP
