Messi and Barca looking tired as season finale approaches

Luis Enrique's side lost at Real Sociedad on Saturday night and now lead La Liga by only three points. More worryingly, though, fatigue is setting in just when it matters most
The Anoeta curse continues. Barcelona had failed to win any of their previous five fixtures away to Real Sociedad in La Liga and suffered another defeat on Saturday night in a tired performance by the team and also Lionel Messi as the season finale approaches.
Messi has looked weary since returning from the recent international break and was guilty of drifting inside for much of the night. His impact was needed out on the wing, but he appeared physically unable to provide the spark that his team-mates sought in the absence of the suspended Luis Suarez. And over on the other side, Neymar was equally disappointing.

In this fixture last season, Luis Enrique left Messi on the bench after a heated argument in training in the build-up to the game. There was no such animosity this time around, but the result was identical: an early goal for the Basques and a hard-fought 1-0 win.

The trip to Anoeta always seems to arrive at a tough time for Barca. However, the Catalans' recent record in San Sebastian is surprising. No other team can boast four straight wins over the Blaugrana at home, nor six successive seasons without losing like La Real have managed

Real Sociedad tend to raise their game with Barca in town and their intensity makes life difficult. The playing surface hardly helps either, the long and bobbly grass hampering the Catalans' natural passing philosophy.

That, however, is no excuse nor explanation for Barca's poor performance on Saturday. Luis Enrique's side were second best and alarmingly, have now dropped eight out of nine points in their last three Liga games. With six rounds of the Primera Division left, they are only three points ahead of Atletico Madrid (3-1 winners at Espanyol earlier) and four clear of Real Madrid (who beat Eibar 4-0 also on Saturday).

With a superior head-to-head record over both teams and a fairly straightforward run-in ahead, the reigning champions should still defend their crown. Tiredness will be a worry, though - particularly in the Champions League.

Barca now face Atletico in their quarter-final second leg at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday and must defend a slender 2-1 lead from the first match at Camp Nou. It may be enough, but they will need to do significantly better than they did at Anoeta to make it into the Champions League semi-finals.

"The players are hurt and they are messed up," Luis Enrique said after the game. "But there are no apologies and no excuses. The time has come to show that we are the best team in the world. To show pride for the crest on our shirts."

After the return against Atleti, Barca are in action at home to Valencia in La Liga next weekend and then meet Deportivo (away), Sporting Gijon (home), Betis (away), Espanyol (home) and Granada (away) between now and the end of the season. The Catalans also play Sevilla in the final of the Copa del Rey and could play three more times in Europe if they advance to the last four on Wednesday.