Real Madrid Slips In Scramble For Spanish League Title, But Barcelona May Be Bigger Loser
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Real Madrid lost 2-1 at Sevilla on Wednesday to fall behind Atlético Madrid and Barcelona in the race for the Spanish league title.
Cristiano Ronaldo put Real Madrid in charge with his league-leading 27th goal of the season in the 14th minute, but they relinquished the lead when Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca scored five minutes later, then notch a second goal in the 73rd minute to complete the comeback.
Diego Costa's second-half header gave Atlético a 1-0 victory at home over Granada as it moved three points clear of Madrid with eight games remaining.
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Lionel Messi and Neymar helped Barcelona keep pace, one point behind Atlético, but the 3-0 win over Celta Vigo may prove to be very costly, as it came at the cost of goalkeeper Víctor Valdés, who twisted his knee during a clearance just 20 minutes into the match and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher.
The veteran keeper was taken to a clinic, where doctors determined he had fractured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
While Barça did not say how long Valdés will be out, the club said in a statement that he will likely need surgery and seems likely to miss the remaining matches of the La Liga season.
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He may not be available to Spain for the 2014 World Cup, which starts in June.
Barça also remains in the chase for the Champions League title, gearing up for a first-leg quarterfinal clash with Atlético next week. José Manuel Pinto, 38, replaced Valdés in goal on Wednesday and made four creditable saves.
The injury comes at a critical time for both Barça and Valdés, who announced months ago that he planned to leave the club at the end of this season.
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The Associated Press and EFE contributed to this report.
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