Pro Sports

Barcelona loses again at home, Madrid 1 point from title

Posted April 24, 2022 7:00 am

By TALES AZZONI

Barcelona's team players walk after the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

MADRID (AP) - With an unprecedented third straight home defeat, Barcelona is unintentionally clearing the way for Real Madrid to clinch the Spanish league title.

Barcelona lost 1-0 to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, marking the first time it lost three in a row at home in all competitions in the same season, and leaving leader Madrid just a point away from winning its second league title in three seasons.

Madrid will have its first chance of lifting the trophy Saturday when it hosts Espanyol. Madrid is 15 points ahead of second-place Barcelona with five rounds to go. The Catalan club has the better head-to-head tiebreaker.

Fans at the Camp Nou stadium booed the team after the final whistle.

'œWe have been struggling at home,'ť Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets said. 'œWe've been conceding goals early and then it becomes difficult to recover. We are in a bad dynamic right now.'ť

Barcelona had won seven straight home matches in the league against Rayo, which scored the winner with a shot by Ãlvaro GarcÃa after a long pass into the area in the seventh minute.

Barcelona pressed forward the rest of the match but couldn't capitalize on its several scoring chances.

The loss left Barcelona tied on points with third-place Sevilla and only two points ahead of AtlÃ©tico Madrid in the final Champions League spot. Securing second place is also important as it guarantees a place in the lucrative Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

'œWe are in a tough situation now,'ť Barcelona coach Xavi HernÃ¡ndez said. 'œWe are still in the Champions League qualification zone, but we have been making it difficult on ourselves.'ť

Barcelona won at Real Sociedad on Thursday but was coming off defeats against CÃ¡diz in the league and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League. It hadn't lost two in a row at home since 2003, and had lost three straight only once, between the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.

It was the second straight win for Rayo after enduring a 13-game winless streak in the league. The Madrid club moved from 15th to 11th with the victory, its second this season against Barcelona. Rayo's win on Thursday also came in the city of Barcelona, at Espanyol.

Only Bayern Munich had beaten Barcelona twice this season, in the group stage of the Champions League.

The result practically secured Rayo a spot in the first division next season.

The match was postponed from January. No other league games were played this weekend. Real Betis defeated Valencia on penalties on Saturday to win the Copa del Rey.

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

Barcelona's Luuk de Jong, centre, reacts after the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

Barcelona's Ronald Araujo, centre, challenges for the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele reacts after the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

Barcelona's Gavi, centre, and Rayo's Alejandro Catena, top, challenge for the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

Rayo's Fran Garcia, centre, and Randy Nteka, right, celebrate after Alvaro Garcia, left, scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

Rayo's team players celebrate after Alvaro Garcia, left, scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele, centre, reacts after the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) The Associated Press

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