A decisive turning point?
Was it the strike that might finally see Ousmane Dembele finally flourish at the Camp Nou? Having inspired confidence and then deceived so many times before, whether sitting on the sidelines through numerous nagging injuries or missing sitters that amounted to null contributions, 'that' goal -- a last-minute effort against Real Valladolid that gave Barca a 1-0 win on Monday night -- may be the first of Dembele's that really matters as the La Liga race was thrown wide open for the final push with just nine games left in what is in evidence a three-horse-race.
It was a nervy night at the Camp Nou and the lure of closing the gap on leaders Atletico Madrid -- who slipped up yet again with a 1-0 defeat at Sevilla the previous night -- had made Barca's execution in possession slightly dim. Disciplined, yet bold, Valladolid's Kenan Kodro headed against the bar early and there were early sighters for Roque Messa, who bypassed the Barca press in midfield and urged the visitors forward.
In defence, they remained tight, and bar a Pedri effort in the dying minutes of the first half that was palmed away and hit the post and an Antoine Griezemann effort headed wide in the second half, Barca's attacks did not amount to much.
Dembele's goal in the Copa semifinal had also mattered, but there was a growing sense, given some careless execution from the Frenchmen throughout the Valladolid game, that he would be taken off. But while Ronald Koeman made changes, he banked on the Frenchman to keep up the surge as Barca pushed forward.
A straight red card to Oscar Plano in the 79th minute after a tackle on Dembele saw Barca with a man advantage and when the forward's volley cannoned into the back of the net in the 90th minute, the celebration -- with Lionel Messi and others climbing up Dembele -- said it all; Koeman's faith had been repaid; doubts, injuries and the confusion of whether he would amount to anything, put to rest for now.
"He's an important player," Koeman said at post-match press conference. "He's shown that with his performance here and above all with the goal that gave us three points. Ousmane's development this season has been really good."
Real Madrid are on 63 points, Barca on 65, just a point behind leader Atletico on 66. The league is well and truly in their hands now ahead of El Clasico next week. Koeman's side has arrived at the final hurdle with the mental stamina required and Real's Champions League quarterfinal ties with Liverpool offer helpful distractions.
"The team is capable of winning the games we have left but today was also a reminder you always have to be at your very best and you have to be clinical," Koeman told reporters.
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