\n
MADRID (AP) \u2014 Barcelona needs to strengthen its defense to end a two-game losing streak and move closer to Real Madrid in the La Liga title race.<\/p>\n
Barcelona host penultimate side Levante on Sunday after conceding six goals in their last two games. A 4-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey and a 2-1 loss to Girona on Monday cost Barcelona top of the league. Lamine Yamal missed a penalty against Girona.<\/p>\n
After 24 matches, Barcelona is trailing Real Madrid by two points.<\/p>\n
Before suffering back-to-back defeats, Hansi Flick’s side had conceded just one goal in their previous five matches in all competitions.<\/p>\n
“We need to improve,” Barcelona central defender Pau Kvarsi told Mundo Deportivo. “We can’t afford to concede a goal like this. We had a bad game (against Girona) and were lacking in all aspects. We need to be self-critical and get our act together.”<\/p>\n
Barcelona faced Atl\u00e9tico in the first leg of the Copa semi-final and were lucky to be only 4-0 down by half-time.<\/p>\n
“They started very hard. The early goal derailed our plans and from then on it was very difficult for us to take center stage,” Kvarsi said of the loss against Atl\u00e9tico.<\/p>\n
Levante, 19th place, has not scored in three of their last four league games. They have only won one of their last seven games. valencia club We lost 1-0 at home.<\/span> On Wednesday, they faced third-place Villarreal in a game that was postponed from last year due to heavy rain in the Valencia region.<\/p>\nmajor matches<\/h2>\n
La Liga leaders Real Madrid visited mid-table Osasuna on Saturday, riding on the back of a 1-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of the Champions League knockout on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Madrid have won seven of their last eight matches in all competitions, with their only setback coming in January when they lost 4-2 to Benfica in the final round of the Champions League. <\/p>\n
Osasuna has lost two of their last three league games.<\/p>\n
Fourth-placed Atl\u00e9tico Madrid host sixth-placed Espanyol on Saturday as they look to end their winning streak in La Liga at three games. Diego Simeone’s side had a two-goal lead at half-time, but the match ended in a 3-3 draw against Club Brugge in the Champions League.<\/p>\n
Espanyol has lost five and drawn two, without a win in seven consecutive league games.<\/p>\n
Atl\u00e9tico are three points behind third-placed Villarreal, who host Valencia on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Activity suspended<\/h2>\n
Barcelona midfielder Pedri and forward Marcus Rashford have returned to training from injury and could be available for Sunday’s game against Levante. Pedri has a muscular injury and Rashford is dealing with a knee problem.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear whether Rodrygo will return to Madrid for the game at Osasuna, where he has a hamstring injury, while Nico Williams is absent with a groin injury and will miss Athletic Bilbao’s home game in Elche on Friday.<\/p>\n
off the field<\/h2>\n
Vinicius Junior is in the spotlight ahead of Madrid’s game against Osasuna after he accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestiani of calling him a “monkey” during a Champions League match in Lisbon. Madrid announced on Thursday that it had sent UEFA “all available evidence” of the incident. Alleged racist insult<\/span>.<\/p>\n___<\/p>\n
AP Soccer: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/soccer<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
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