Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has urged his players to pick themselves up from their latest defeat as they fell to a 2-1 loss at home to Valencia this evening.
The Catalan giants capped off a miserable week with a third defeat in the space of eight days to leave just one point separating the top three in La Liga with five games of the season remaining.
Barca had a 15-point lead at one stage but have now picked up just one point from the last 12 available and have fallen to three consecutive league defeats for the first time since 2003.
"We put in a complete performance, but the dynamic is against us. We were the better team," Enrique told reporters.
"We have to pick ourselves up. We will face the challenge as a Barca player does, with his head held high. We have to rely on our game, our self-respect and our togetherness."
Despite the defeat, Lionel Messi did end his mini drought with his 500th senior career goal.
Barney Corkhill
