The formidable Barcelona, hitherto accustomed to winning, find themselves beset with an unanticipated predicament – a difficulty in achieving victory.
However, the cushion of their double-digit lead in the title race continues to serve as a valuable buffer.
Barcelona’s winless run reached three games after a 0-0 draw at Getafe in the Spanish league Sunday, allowing second-place Real Madrid to cut into their lead again.
The Catalans still have an 11-point advantage over Madrid with nine rounds to go.
Madrid, which are mostly focused on the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, won 2-0 at Cadiz on Saturday.
"We have to start playing better again, we have to be more effective,” Barcelona coach Xavi said. "We earned a point that is not that bad, but we have to improve our game. This is not over yet.”
Xavi complained about the field conditions at Getafe's stadium and said Barcelona are not used to playing in the early games when it's too sunny.
It was also Barcelona's third straight game without finding the net. Striker Robert Lewandowski has scored only two goals in his last nine matches.
Seeking their first league title since 2019, Barcelona had been held to a scoreless draw by Girona at home in the previous round. Before that, they endured a demoralizing 4-0 loss to Madrid at Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey semifinals.
Barcelona had won five in a row before the defeat against Madrid in the Copa.
Barcelona’s next match is at home against third-placed Atletico Madrid, who beat relegation-threatened Almeria to win their sixth straight and get back within two points of Madrid.
The league is the only competition Barcelona can still win in the rest of the season. They won the Spanish Super Cup in a final against Madrid earlier this year but were eliminated in both the Champions League and the Europa League.
Getafe, who have not won in three consecutive league matches, stayed in 15th place, four points above the relegation zone.
Barcelona’s last league title came when Lionel Messi was still on the team. They had won eight league titles in 11 seasons before finishing second in 2020, third in 2021, and second again – without Messi – last season.
The Catalans have been under scrutiny over their payments of several millions of dollars over several years to a company that belonged to the former vice president of the country’s refereeing committee.
The club will have to defend itself in the courts after being formally accused by prosecutors of alleged corruption, fraudulent management and falsification of documentation.
Club president Joan Laporta is expected to talk about the issue in a news conference on Monday.
Atletico stayed close to Madrid and extended their unbeaten streak to 13 league games with Antoine Griezmann scoring twice in a 2-1 win against Almeria.
Both goals by Griezmann came in the first half. Almeria, sitting in 17th place just outside the relegation zone, scored through an own-goal by Atletico defender Jose Maria Gimenez.
Finishing second is important because it guarantees a spot in the lucrative Spanish Super Cup.
Valencia stayed in the relegation zone after a 2-0 loss to Sevilla at home.
It was the team's third loss in their last four games - and 10th in their last 13 games.
Loic Bade and Suso scored second-half goals for Sevilla, which moved to 12th place.
Valencia are 18th, three points from safety.
Girona added to Elche's struggles with a 2-0 win at home with goals by Taty Castellanos and Oriol Romeu.
It was the fourth straight loss for last-place Elche, who have only one win in their last nine matches. They sit 17 points from safety with nine rounds to go.
Girona have won two of their last four matches, moving to ninth place.
