Nigeria Content Online

Barcelona
must pass a stiff test at home to old rivals Athletic Bilbao in La Liga
on Sunday after failing to win their last two matches including a
defeat in Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg against
Arsenal.

Sporting Gijon
halted Barca’s record 16-match winning streak when they held the
champions to a 1-1 draw last weekend and Pep Guardiola’s side
surrendered the lead to lose 2-1 at Arsenal. Barca still have a
five-point cushion over second-placed Real Madrid, who host promoted
Levante on Saturday, but another failure against the battling Basques
would set nerves jangling in the Catalan capital.

“We are in good
shape and there is no need to ring the alarm bells,” Brazil defender
Daniel Alves told reporters after the defeat in London.

The last time Barca
slipped up in two straight games was when they drew 1-1 at Rubin Kazan
in the Champions League group stage on September 29 and four days later
were held 1-1 at home by Real Mallorca in La Liga.

Apart from a rare
error from Victor Valdes, who let Robin van Persie’s equaliser through
at his near post, the most worrying aspect of Barca’s performance at
The Emirates on Wednesday was their squandering of numerous chances.

“They were very
effective in front of goal and we were not,” midfielder Xavi said. “In
European competition you end up paying the price for that.” A run of
four straight wins lifted Bilbao to fifth and boosted their chances of
claiming a place in European competition for next season, although they
were beaten 1-0 at Mallorca last weekend.

Media attention

Real survived the
second-minute dismissal of goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas to
grind out a 1-0 win at Espanyol last Sunday and are waiting to pounce
on any more stumbles from their arch rivals. Jose Mourinho’s side were
held to a 0-0 draw at Levante in September but thrashed the
Valencia-based club 8-0 at the Bernabeu in the first leg of their
King’s Cup tie in December. The outspoken Mourinho at times attracts
more media attention than his players and his Portuguese compatriot
Pepe said that has allowed the squad to focus on football.

“Before he came we
felt the pressure that surrounds Real Madrid more,” defender Pepe said
in an interview with Marca newspaper published on Thursday.

“He tells us that
we only have to concentrate on playing football and he creates all the
necessary conditions for us to improve,” he added.

Valencia climbed
above Villarreal into third with a 2-1 win at struggling Atletico
Madrid last weekend and host Gijon on Saturday.

Villarreal are looking to end their two-match losing streak at home to bottom side Malaga on Sunday.