Sergio Busquets conceded Barcelona face an uphill battle to retain their La Liga crown after a 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi scored his 700th goal but it was not enough for Barca to claim all three points at Camp Nou, where Saul Niguez scored two penalties to earn Atleti a share of the spoils.
The draw leaves Barca one point behind leaders Real Madrid, who could move four clear with a win over Getafe on Thursday.
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There are five games remaining for Barca to turn things around, but midfielder Busquets acknowledged their fate may well now be out of their hands.