Barcelona’s fate was in their own hands, which as it turned out was the worst place it could possibly be. Saturday’s story was the story of the season in Spain: everything changed to stay the same, the table remaining unmoved. Another dead ball, another defender leaping to score, another victory coming for Real Madrid, this time in the city derby – the game the front pages had declared “half the league” only that was not the half of it. Pepe’s header would have been an appropriate way to win their first title in five years but that was not the end and nor even was Antoine Griezmann’s equaliser. Sandro Ramírez’s goal 535km away might have been, though. Or Jony’s. Or Neymar’s red card.
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In the end, Neymar came up against one wall too many and walked
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