Barcelona Risks Losing It All

Dudes are on a roll.

Downhill.

First, Barcelona lost El Clásico, then got bounced from the Champions League, and now only lead La Liga on goal difference.

Claiming one measly point out of the last 12 available is no way to keep what used to be a cushy lead.

 

Barça fell to pieces at the hands of Valencia -- yes, that merry little crew known as Los Che Els Taronges, plopped securely in 12th place with their 10-10-13 record -- as they strolled into Camp Nou and Flamenco'd out with a nifty little 1-2 result.

It just takes few games to go from great to grief.

Not long ago, the Blaugrana were running up a record-breaking winning streak, methodically renting their closest pursuers asunder.

Now, the proverbial worm has turned. Or something like that.

The way things are going for them, Barcelona should've hardly been surprised when Ivan Rakitić scored an own goal:

As if they needed more bad luck.

Another moment of misery followed when Santi Mina closed out the first half in -- what else? -- time added on with what proved to be the game winner:

Yes, this is the Barça defense here. It's almost as frustrating as Messi's record-shattering foibles from the spot.

Elsewhere, of course, dude's money, garnering his long-awaited 500th career goal:

Not much to celebrate in a loss, though.

Time to see who puckers and who doesn't on the Iberian peninsula.

Who in late winter thought this stretch would be so newsy?