Messi screamer saves Barca, Enrique says title is Reals to lose

Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique admits their title hopes is down to how well La Liga leaders Real Madrid perform, following their 1-1 draw at Villarreal on Sunday.

Lionel Messi scored a late free kick to grab a point for the visitors, but remain five points behind Los Blancos who have a game in hand.

Enrique looked ahead to their next league game against Las Palmas noting its important if they are to stay in the title race.

“Obviously, the destination of the La Liga title is out of our hands. But we do have the second half of the season when we will have the chance to fight for the title. But obviously it depends a lot on how Real Madrid perform, because they are at the top of the table.

“The only chance we have to still be in the title race is to win our next game (Las Palmas), keeping the same level of performance but changing the results,” Barca boss Enrique told reporters after the game.

Messi rescued a 1-1 draw at Villarreal with a sensational late free-kick but could not prevent the champions finishing the weekend third in La Liga, five points behind leaders Real.

Messi bent a stunning free-kick into the top corner in the 90th minute after Villarreal’s Italian forward Nicola Sansone finished off a breakaway to open the scoring in the 50th as they looked set to record a first home win over Barca in 11 years.

Barca have 35 points from 17 games, one behind Sevilla, and trail a Real Madrid side who beat Granada 5-0 on Saturday, are unbeaten in all competitions and have a game in hand.

“I can’t make a positive evaluation because we needed the three points today,” said Barca coach Luis Enrique. “We aren’t on a very favourable run at the moment and although we kept hitting the target things just would not fall for us.”

“Of course there is still time to catch Real. We’re going to have opportunities to fight for the league, although that will not just depend on us but also on them and they are looking very strong at the moment.”

The pressure was on Luis Enrique’s side after Real and Sevilla enjoyed big wins on Saturday but Villarreal were far from ideal opponents, having held Barca to a 2-2 draw last season and halting their 12-game winning streak in the league.

The first clear chance of a vibrant, end-to-end game fell to former Barcelona midfielder Jonathan dos Santos, who put too much power on his shot and watched it fly over the bar.

Enrique made three changes to the Barca team that lost 2-1 in a King’s Cup last 16, first leg game at Athletic Bilbao on Thursday and it was one of the players he recalled who made the fatal mistake that led to the opening goal.

France left back Lucas Digne lost possession in Villarreal’s half and Alexandre Pato strode through the middle unopposed, teeing up Sansone to send the ball home off the far post.

Messi hit the post with a sumptuous shot and had a penalty appeal turned down when his effort was blocked by Villarreal captain Bruno Soriano’s hand, while Barca’s Javier Mascherano was also fortunate not to concede a spot kick for handball.