For just a few moments, Real Madrid fans shuffled to the front of their sofas, not quite believing what they were seeing.
It wasnâÂÂt Guti tracking back or Royston DrentheâÂÂs reappearance from the party paradise of the clubâÂÂs recovery rooms.
Instead, it was a cranky, croaky Barcelona making very heavy weather indeed of the worst away team in la Primera by drawing 1-1 with Tenerife.
But then with half-an-hour to go, Madridistas settled back into the plump snugness of their cushions with a disappointed sigh as Barca retook the lead through Bojan, with Pedro and Messi adding a third and fourth in a 4-1 win that keeps Barça four points clear at the top of the table with Madrid set to play on Wednesday night.
Although Barcelona rarely got their love-thang going with Zlatan Ibrahimovic having another stinker of a game, PepâÂÂs Dream Boys did enough to deserve the win by having 81% of the possession and pretty much all the chances.
Nevertheless, one Tenerife goal correctly ruled out for offside riled Marca like nobodyâÂÂs business for the simple reason that it was a close call.
Just 57,000 soaked souls turned up at the Camp Nou to watch the game on what was an admittedly rotten, rainy night in Cataluyna. But Pep Guardiola was happy just to have that amount sitting in silence in the stands. âÂÂ57,000 heroes came to the game on a horrible day,â chirped the Barça coach.
NEWS:Barca edge closer to La Liga title
The Tenerife clash was the first of four that took place on Tuesday night. After flirting with the relegation zone with seven matches without a win, AlmerÃÂa finally picked up its coat and made off on their jolly way after winning 4-2 against Villareal - a side that has now begun to hit truly some horrible form at a very unfortunate time.
Despite being 3-0 up at the break, AlmerÃÂa boss Juanma Lillo revealed that he âÂÂlet the players have it half-time. I didnâÂÂt like anything about the game despite the result.âÂÂ
It canâÂÂt have been too pleasant at the end of the match for the squad either, considering AlmerÃÂa allowed Villarreal back to 3-2 before Piatti scored a fourth for his side in injury time.
Getafe pranced and ponced their way through their opening 45 minutes with Sporting in the Coliseum in a game where the visitors took the lead. âÂÂI wasnâÂÂt expecting what happened in the first half,â admitted Michel. We lacked humility and without that things always go badly.âÂÂ
The second half was a tad better with Roberto Soldado pulling one goal back to leave Getafe temporarily in sixth and Sporting bumbling around in mid-table but probably needing one more win to keep them safe.
A 3-1 defeat to Valencia means that Xerez will be relegated on Wednesday night, should Málaga and Racing win their clashes.
The former are away to Athletic in what should be a superbly embittered battle whilst the side from Santander host Sevilla in a game where befuddled manager, Miguel Angel Portugal, feels that his team need to âÂÂplay from the heart and also with a cool head.âÂÂ
Zaragoza play host to Espanyol, whilst Valladolid desperately need a win against Atlético Madrid in the Vicente Calderón in an encounter where the Rojiblancos are doing their familiar league routine of talking the talk about actually giving a parrotâÂÂs pom-pom about the game before collapsing within minutes of the kick-off.
Deportivo look set to be adding one more match to their eleven match run without a win - and four without a frackinâ goal - away at Osasuna. But no-one really gives two hoots because everyone will be watching Real Madrid blow the league title with a draw against Mallorca in the Ono Estadi.
And that result will certainly make Marca happy with their editorial desperately willing a crushing humiliation for Madrid just so they can have a pop at the clubâÂÂs Chilean coach some more.
âÂÂAfter a season plagued with sporting disasters, PellegriniâÂÂs side owe a debt to their fans.âÂÂ
To follow the paperâÂÂs idiotic logic, LLL has a feeling that the debt is about to get an awful lot bigger.
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