Madrid: Barcelona lost 1-2 at relegation-threatened Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday in its first match after its amazing win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Barcelona’s defeat allowed Real Madrid to retake the Spanish league lead with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Real Betis, despite an own-goal by goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Cristiano Ronaldo equalised before half-time and Sergio Ramos netted an 81st-minute winner for Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium after Navas had pushed the ball into his own net while trying to regain control following a close-range shot.
Navas made amends with an incredible save two minutes into second-half injury time to secure Madrid the victory and a two-point lead over Barcelona, whose 19-game unbeaten streak in the league ended.
Without some of the starters from the 6-1 victory over PSG in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, which reversed a 4-0 first-leg loss, Barcelona lacked the same intensity that it had at the Camp Nou.
Striker Joselu opened the scoring for Deportivo in the 40th with a close-range shot after Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano failed to clear a loose ball inside the area after a corner.
Luis Suarez equalised less than a minute into the second half with a right-foot strike, but the hosts went ahead again in the 74th with a header by Bergantinos off another corner.
Bargantinos has only four career goals in the first division, with three of them coming against Barcelona.
Deportivo, which had won only one of its last 10 matches, moved to 15th place with 27 points, eight clear of the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, Sergio Ramos’ powerful header helped Madrid survive Keylor Navas’ awful mistake. The goalkeeper stopped Antonio Sanabria’s 25th-minute shot after diving to his left, but the ball escaped his grip and he ended pushing it across the line while trying to pull it back.
Navas yelled at himself after getting up and covered his face with both hands.
Betis played a man down from the 78th after Cristiano Piccini was shown a second yellow card. Cristiano Ronaldo’s 41st-minute goal came off a header following a cross by Marcelo.
