Four days before its "final" against Bayern Munich to advance to the knockout stages of the Champions League, FC Barcelona were defeated 1-0 by Betis Sevilla on Saturday for the 16th day of La Liga and stagnated in 7th place.
With 23 points in 15 league games, this is Barça's worst start to the league in 18 years.
Xavi's men, whose first loss as Barça coach, dominated the game, but Juanmi Jimenez dashed their hopes by concluding a superbly managed counter from Sergio Canales in the 79th.
The Andalusians temporarily climb to 3rd place in Liga, before the match between Atlético Madrid and Mallorca (6.30 p.m.) then the poster between Real Sociedad and Real Madrid at 9 p.m.
This misstep comes at the worst of times for the Blaugrana, who began the evening by celebrating the Kopa de Pedri prize and the Ballon d'Or of Alexia Putellas, who came to present their trophies at Camp Nou and to its 66,520 supporters before kick off.
“Barça is always obliged to win, even more on his home ground, and we do not do it, reacted the side Jordi Alba.
This season, we also have great difficulties winning away from home ... but I'm sure we'll be able to reverse the trend, I'm sure.
We are working well, we are integrating new concepts brought by the trainer (Xavi, editor's note).
But it is a step backwards.
"
Dembélé comes into play
The Catalans recorded greater possession of the ball and increased strikes in front of Rui Silva's cages ... but they cracked on a block a few minutes from time.
They had already received a first warning in the 52nd, when the same Juanmi had scored a canceled goal for a contentious offside position.
The French international winger Ousmane Dembélé tried to revive his own as soon as he came into play in the 59th, in place of Philippe Coutinho.
In the 62nd, he alerted the Betis goalkeeper with two consecutive strikes with both feet.
Then in the 77th he chained two strikes which shaved the right amount of Andalusians ... without success.
And this is not the only bad news for the Catalans, who may have lost their young nugget Gavi: the hope went out on a stretcher in the 36th with a neck brace around his neck, after receiving a clearance from Hector Bellerin in full head.
Earlier in the day, Julen Lopetegui's Sevilla FC won 1-0 at home against Unai Emery's Villarreal thanks to a single goal from ex-Marseillais Lucas Ocampos (16th) which propelled Sevilla FC in provisional 2nd place in the ranking.