MADRID: Barcelona are getting some help from their rivals to stay top of La Liga despite falling into their worst slump in two years.

The defending champions failed to win for the third straight game on Saturday, being held 1-1 by Athletic Bilbao to. But it was enough to retain their lead after Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid cancelled each other out at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real and Atletico began a pulsating derby less than three hours after Barca’s draw at home to Bilbao, but goalkeepers reigned supreme in the capital to ensure the grudge match finished goalless.

Real haven’t won in two consecutive games, being unable to take advantage of Barca’s struggles. Atletico have won two in a row, but haven’t reached the top because of a poor start.

It means Real are second, level on 14 points with Barca who have a slightly superior goal difference.

Atletico, on 12 points, drop down to fourth, while Sevilla climb into third with 13 points after winning 3-1 at Eibar in a game that had to be stopped for several minutes after a barrier collapsed. The incident left Sevilla supporters spilling on to the pitch and eight people were taken to hospital with injuries.

Elsewhere, Valencia finally picked up a first win of the season by beating Real Sociedad 1-0 away, helped by goalkeeper Neto saving a penalty from Willian Jose.

The Madrid derby ended with goalkeepers Jan Oblak and Thibaut Courtois getting the better of the attackers in the few times the teams got near the goal.

“I’m not satisfied with the result because we deserved the victory,” Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui said. “We created some clear scoring chances.”

Real have now failed to beat Atletico at home in the league in their last six attempts, with their last victory coming in December 2012 when Jose Mourinho was in charge.

“It was a difficult match, as it always is when we play here,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “We were better in the first half but in the end it was a fair result.

Lopetegui couldn’t count on left back Marcelo and midfielder Francisco “Isco” Alarcon because of injuries while Gareth Bale had to be substituted at half-time with what the club confirmed was a thigh strain and is a doubt for the European champions ahead of their visit to CSKA Moscow on Tuesday.

It was a scenario Barca boss Ernesto Valverde tried to avoid before his side’s visit to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday by resting Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou.

But the Argentine was needed in the second half after Oscar de Marcos gave Bilbao a deserved lead. Munir El Haddadi snatched Barca a point, diverting in Messi’s shot with six minutes left.

After drawing at home to Girona and being beaten by Leganes, Barcelona head to Wembley to face Spurs short of rhythm and lacking confidence.

Barcelona will be without Sergi Roberto for the Champions League Group ‘B’ clash after it was confirmed he had picked up a thigh strain.

“Leaving Messi on the bench is absolutely my responsibility,” Valverde said. “He has four games in 10 days and I think it’s good for Leo to rest, like Busquets, thinking of the Champions League. I know it was the right decision. It was a risk and on this occasion, it didn’t come off.”

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2018