Barca's place in the top four is still not secure either after a third consecutive defeat at Camp Nou continued their late-season wobble and saw them squander the chance to pull away in the race for Champions League qualification.

Madrid remain 15 points clear with five games left to play and while Barcelona have a better head-to-head, Carlo Ancelotti's side know they will be uncatchable if they take just a point from Espanyol on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu.