Boost for Real Madrid as Barcelona let two goal lead slip at Sevilla

Barcelona seemed set to take a giant step towards sealing this season’s La Liga title when they were 2-0 up inside half an hour at Sevilla on Saturday night.

By allowing Sevilla back into the game to draw 2-2, Barca’s lead over second-placed Real Madrid slipped to two points, suggesting they may pay a heavier price for an inability to kill off games.

The Catalans were superb for the first half hour at the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan – as in-form Sevilla were completely outplayed and Lionel Messi and Neymar each scored superb goals.

That should have been that.

But Barca keeper Claudio Bravo failed to stop Ever Banega’s long-range effort which made it 2-1 just before half-time while Gerard Pique’s poor pass lead directly to Kevin Gameiro’s 83rd minute equaliser.

“The first-half we were much superior, playing very good football, causing Sevilla problems,” blaugrana coach Luis Enrique said. “Then we started to lose control, and we paid for mistakes. But it’s not so important as we’re still top of the table.”

Maybe, but the pattern of Saturday’s game was quite familiar to Barca watchers. Led by a sublime Messi, Barca were outstanding during the early stages in both Champions League last 16 legs against Manchester City, then missed a host of chances and ended up winning both games by one goal. Atletico were also outclassed for long periods, but lost just 1-0 at the Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey.

On Saturday Sevilla managed the comeback – leading to glee in the Spanish capital, where Madrid had earlier eased to a 3-0 win at home to Eibar (in part thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s first free kick goal in 57 attempts).

“A great first half hour from Barca, the best since Luis Enrique arrived,” wrote AS editor Alfredo Relano in Sunday’s paper. “(But then) Sevilla lifted themselves and Barca became insecure.

“They played with a pace which Barca could not respond to. And the great beneficiary was Madrid.”

How Barca respond to the pressure being placed on them by Los Blancos is now an open question. European exertions will also play a part in the domestic title race. Barca in theory face an easier task this week, visiting a depleted Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday night, while Madrid must go to Atletico tomorrow (where they were beaten 4-0 in La Liga in early February).

With seven games to play, Barca remain in control of their destiny in La Liga, but even one more draw will let Ronaldo and company back in given the ‘head to head’ record.

A worry for blaugrana fans and pundits is Luis Enrique’s team can look uncomfortable in the lead — neither finishing off opponents by taking their chances or holding possession for long spells.

Such doubts mean confidence in an unlikely title race comeback is growing in Madrid.