Barca close to unique mark

– Barcelona may have navigated their way past Real Madrid and Villarreal this week but their first ever unbeaten La Liga season is not quite over the line yet.

Ernesto Valverde’s (above) side visit Levante tomorrow, whose lowly position of 16th betrays a late surge in form which has included four consecutive victories and only one defeat in their last 10 games.

Barca are clear favourites. They held on for a 2-2 draw at home to Real last Sunday, even after Sergi Roberto was sent off at the end of the first half, before thrashing sixth-placed Villarreal 5-1 on Wednesday.

But if those two games have caused any fatigue, or even complacency, among Spain’s league and cup winners, Levante could be primed to take advantage.

When Paco Lopez replaced Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz as coach at the start of March, Levante had won only one of their last 22 games. Since he took charge, only Atletico Madrid have beaten them.

Valverde has downplayed the importance of his team finishing the campaign as invincibles but after already winning a domestic double, it would represent something of a cherry on top.

No team has ever finished a 38game La Liga season without losing and Barca would be the first in any format since Real Madrid managed it across an 18-match schedule in 1932.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane has paid lip-service to the idea of a strong finish in the league, not least to maintain momentum ahead of their season-defining Champions League final against Liverpool in Kiev.

But a heavily-rotated Real side’s 3-2 defeat to Sevilla on Wednesday, when they trailed 3-0 in the 86th minute, offered a more accurate indication of the Frenchman’s priorities.

Real host Celta Vigo today, when Cristiano Ronaldo, still recovering from a sprained ankle, will be absent. If Zidane recalls other key players it will be to prevent rust rather than to preserve hopes of beating Atletico Madrid to second.

Vigo’s own ambitions of sealing a place in the Europa League have already been extinguished. –

Madrid

“We have not won everything but it is also true we have had difficulties.

Ernesto Valverde Barcelona coach