Barcelona face Eibar tomorrow evening in the ultimate La Liga dead rubber. The Blaugrana had put themselves within a whisk of the title following their sensational run of form post-Christmas, when Lionel Messi hit a lick following an extended break back home in Argentina. But they’ve failed when it really mattered.
Barcelona dropped points in crucial games in the final stretch against the likes of Granada, Atletico Madrid, Levante and Celta Vigo, blowing any advantage and ceding the final-day battle to just Atletico and Real Madrid. The former hold the advantage, and will claim their second title of the Diego Simeone era should they beat Real Valladolid. Madrid will pounce on any slip-up.
Messi won’t be making the trip to the Basque Country, having been given the day off by Ronald Koeman alongside Pedri. The Argentine will be captaining his country at this summer’s Copa America, with his future still in the air, while the teenage Spaniard will be playing for La Roja at Euro 2020. Both could use the rest.
Our final squad list of the 2020-21 season#EibarBarça pic.twitter.com/GL5rfTpO1l
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 21, 2021
