MADRID - Barcelona have a second chance to wrap up their fourth La Liga title in five years this weekend as they stumble towards the end of the season and a much-needed regrouping at the club after their Champions League humiliation.
The leaders host Real Betis on Sunday having been swept out of their semifinal 7-0 on aggregate by a far superior Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
With five games left, Barca hold an 11-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, who host Real Valladolid tomorrow. A victory for Barca and a defeat for Real would be enough to secure Tito Vilanova the league trophy in his debut season at the Nou Camp helm.
"We are very deflated but there is still a La Liga title to secure," Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas told reporters after the Bayern game.
Defender Gerard Pique added: "We need to sort it out as quickly as possible. We haven't known how to compete effectively in the King's Cup or the Champions League but we have been very consistent in the league."
Central to wrapping up the trophy will be getting top scorer Lionel Messi back to full fitness from his hamstring problem after he surprisingly sat out Wednesday's 3-0 home defeat. Vilanova said the world player of the year was not injured but felt a "strange sensation" before the Bayern game, and the coach decided it was best to start with him on the bench.
Once Arjen Robben had put the Germans ahead in the second half, Vilanova quickly gave up on any chance of a fightback, decided against committing Messi and withdrew his two leading playmakers, Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Barca have appeared lethargic in recent games, and a number of players have spoken of feeling stretched to the limit during the season run-in.
They have managed only three wins from their past nine games in all competitions.
Betis, who are seventh in the standings and chasing a place in Europe next season, have one of the best away records in La Liga although, like Barca, they have started to run out of steam.
Barca could wrap up title
MADRID - Barcelona have a second chance to wrap up their fourth La Liga title in five years this weekend as they stumble towards the end of the season and a much-needed regrouping at the club after their Champions League humiliation.
The leaders host Real Betis on Sunday having been swept out of their semifinal 7-0 on aggregate by a far superior Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
With five games left, Barca hold an 11-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, who host Real Valladolid tomorrow. A victory for Barca and a defeat for Real would be enough to secure Tito Vilanova the league trophy in his debut season at the Nou Camp helm.
"We are very deflated but there is still a La Liga title to secure," Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas told reporters after the Bayern game.
Defender Gerard Pique added: "We need to sort it out as quickly as possible. We haven't known how to compete effectively in the King's Cup or the Champions League but we have been very consistent in the league."
Central to wrapping up the trophy will be getting top scorer Lionel Messi back to full fitness from his hamstring problem after he surprisingly sat out Wednesday's 3-0 home defeat. Vilanova said the world player of the year was not injured but felt a "strange sensation" before the Bayern game, and the coach decided it was best to start with him on the bench.
Once Arjen Robben had put the Germans ahead in the second half, Vilanova quickly gave up on any chance of a fightback, decided against committing Messi and withdrew his two leading playmakers, Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Barca have appeared lethargic in recent games, and a number of players have spoken of feeling stretched to the limit during the season run-in.
They have managed only three wins from their past nine games in all competitions.
Betis, who are seventh in the standings and chasing a place in Europe next season, have one of the best away records in La Liga although, like Barca, they have started to run out of steam.