Luis Enrique is set to leave a mixed legacy when he departs Barcelona but the coach can go out on a high by lifting a third consecutive King's Cup when his side meet Alaves in Saturday's final in Madrid.
The Catalans made a lethargic start and fell behind in the 16th minute when striker Joseba Llorente bundled the ball into the net but they salvaged a point when Ronaldinho equalised with a neat finish just before halftime.
La Liga leaders Real Madrid returned to winning ways after two defeats, making light of playing most of the second half with 10 men to triumph 3-0 at home to mid-table Espanyol on Saturday.
Real Madrid have one hand on a first La Liga trophy in four years after Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brilliant winner in a 2-1 victory at Barcelona on Saturday that stretched their lead over their bitter rivals to seven points with four games left.
Thierry Henry scored a hat-trick as Barcelona crushed Valencia 4-0 at the Nou Camp to move six points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Saturday.
European champions Barcelona have injury worries up front for their Champions League Group F match at home to Rubin Kazan on Tuesday.
Kaka came off the bench after six weeks out injured and produced a clinical finish from Cristiano Ronaldo's assist to keep Real Madrid hot on the heels of leaders Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday. After Barca's nervy 3-1 win at home to basement side Xerez in the earlier kickoff, Brazil's World Cup-bound playmaker Kaka struck eight minutes from time to fire Real to a nail-biting 2-1 victory at 10-man Real Zaragoza.
A win for Real Madrid or a draw for Barcelona in Saturday's El Clasico at the Bernabeu could be the deciding act in the La Liga title race this year.
Real Madrid climbed back above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when goals from former Liverpool pair Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa helped them to a stirring 3-2 comeback win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Barcelona retained the King's Cup with a 2-0 victory over Sevilla to complete a domestic double.
Real Madrid's 10-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga should be more than enough to secure a first title since 2008.
Cristiano Ronaldo's bullet header helped Real Madrid to a 2-0 victory .
Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic embraced the art of winning ugly after they beat 10-man Real Betis 2-0 to move closer to retaining their La Liga title.
Injury-hit Barcelona will not be complaining if another 'lucky' black cat helps Lionel Messi find the net at the Nou Camp on Wednesday when they bid for a third King's Cup final appearance in four years.
Injury-hit Barcelona will not be complaining if another 'lucky' black cat helps Lionel Messi find the net at the Nou Camp on Wednesday when they bid for a third King's Cup final appearance in four years.
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone may have played down the significance of Sunday's 2-1 La Liga defeat at Real Sociedad but it has raised further questions about the champions' ability to defend their title.
Anyone who has watched the Argentine in recent years knows he can do things with a football that seem to defy the laws of physics and he does not fit into the mould of a traditional striker.
Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas each scored twice as Barcelona thrilled the Nou Camp with a crushing 4-0 win over Osasuna in their King's Cup last-16 first leg on Wednesday.
'The system is the same and we all have to contribute a bit more but it is impossible not to feel Messi's absence' 'But Neymar is also a leader for his playing style and what he brings to the team'
Livepool striker and Dembele close in on Camp Nou move
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Toni Kroos netted his first for Real Madrid and was hailed as the best player on the pitch by his coach as the hosts tore apart Rayo Vallecano 5-1 in La Liga on Saturday to extend their winning streak to 13 games.
Barcelona believe they can quickly regain their momentum after two indifferent league performances when they face Olympique Lyon in their Champions League last 16 first-leg clash at the Stade Gerland on Tuesday. Primera Liga leaders Barca lost 2-1 against Espanyol on Saturday, only their second defeat of the campaign. This followed a draw last week with Real Betis.
Barcelona's nightmare week hit a new low when they followed up their Champions League exit with a shock 1-0 defeat at Granada on Saturday that left their bid for a fifth La Liga title in six years in serious jeopardy.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique allowed himself a brief moment to savour Saturday's King's Cup triumph over Athletic Bilbao.
New Valencia coach Gary Neville remains without a La Liga win after his side twice recovered from a goal down to rescue a fortunate 2-2 draw at home to Getafe on Saturday.
In other matches, super-sub Messi helped Barca romp past Atletico
Lionel Messi conjured a magical headed goal to set a depleted Barcelona on their way to a 3-0 win at Real Mallorca in La Liga on Saturday that stretched their lead over Real Madrid at the top to eight points.
Barcelona forward Neymar finds himself at the centre of unwanted media attention in Spain as his struggling team's promising season threatens to unravel after a run of defeats. The Brazilian has not scored in his last five games and is being portrayed as one of the reasons for Barca's woes after three straight La Liga losses has seen them caught by Atletico Madrid, who have also knocked them out of the Champions League. Barcelona-based newspaper La Vanguardia this week focused on the 24-year-old's conduct off the pitch, particularly his "trips away, parties at unadvisable times and commercial commitments". He visited Brazil in March for his sister's birthday party. TV programme 'El Dia Despues (The Day After) on Tuesday showed Neymar arguing with Jordi Ala during Sunday's home defeat by Valencia after the defender chose not to pass to him. Camera footage showed Neymar appearing to swear at his team mate. Barcelona play Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday looking to get their title bid back on track with the cover of newspaper Mundo Deportivo focusing on Neymar, pictured between Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, below the headline 'This cannot go on'.
Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino has poured cold water on a report that suggested captain Carles Puyol was considering retiring at the end of the season due to a string of injuries.
The Primera Liga leaders dominated the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Nou Camp on Tuesday but were unable to score.
With Barca enjoying a nine-point cushion at the top of the Primera Liga and only eight games left, even a draw would leave Real facing their second trophyless season in a row.
Barcelona continued their irresistible form this season with a 15th straight win in all competitions after a 2-1 victory over city rivals Espanyol.
Leaders Barcelona set a club record of 12 consecutive wins in all competitions with a 3-1 victory at Cadiz in the Primera Liga.
Real Madrid recovered from the second-minute dismissal of goalkeeper Iker Casillas to secure a battling 1-0 win at Espanyol on Sunday and cut Barcelona's lead at the top of La Liga to five points.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are heading for a King's Cup showdown after the great rivals won their semi-final first legs on Wednesday. Real won a controversial game 1-0 at holders Sevilla thanks to a goal from Karim Benzema while Lionel Messi struck twice as 2009 winners Barca thumped Almeria 5-0 at the Nou Camp.
"We are really pleased and we just have to enjoy it," Celta defender Gustavo Cabral told Spanish television.
Atletico Madrid fell to their heaviest league defeat of the season
La Liga leaders Barcelona beat Real Madrid 1-0 to all but knock their rivals out of the title race on Saturday, while second-placed Atletico Madrid stayed seven points behind the Catalans with a 2-0 win at Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Messi, Barca's all-time top scorer, has been a vice-captain since 2015 and takes the club's armband from Iniesta, who succeeded Xavi Hernandez as captain in 2015 but left for Japanese club Vissel Kobe in June.
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