FC Barcelona News: 12 February 2012; Players Make No Excuses After Loss, Mascherano and Alves Suspended For Valencia Game

Barca dealt title blow at Osasuna - Yahoo! Eurosport
Barcelona's defence of their La Liga title appears to be in its death throes following a 3-2 loss to Osasuna in Pamplona. The reigning champions' dismal away form - with just four wins in 11 away from Camp Nou - has hindered their league campaign all season and Real Madrid will now open up a likely insurmountable 10-point lead if they defeat Levante at home on Sunday.

Players take responsibility for the loss, refuse to make excuses | FC Barcelona
Goalkeeper, Victor Valdes talked about the difficulty of cutting into Madrid’s possible 10 point lead, but he also said that the team will fight until the end. "Being realistic, it will be very difficult. We didn’t perform today and the Liga just got a bit more complicated. It’s not definitive but it is more difficult," he said.

Guardiola: "It's a painful loss" | FC Barcelona
After losing to Osasuna, Pep Guardiola said that "distancing ourselves from Madrid is painful ... the reality is that we were already at an important distance and I imagine it will increase [tomorrow]." However, this team never gives up and neither does its coach. "We have to keep on going until the end," said Guardiola, "we don’t really have many perspectives to work from, we can only play the next game as best we can to do well."

Mascherano sent off inside tunnel following Barcelona's defeat to Osasuna - Goal.com
Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano was sent off in the tunnel following a heated confrontation with the referee after his side's 3-2 loss to Osasuna on Saturday. Romero also added in his post-match report that coach Pep Guardiola was penalised on the grounds of protesting in the latter stages of the encounter.

Barcelona's Iniesta defiant after 'painful loss' to Osasuna - Goal.com
"It’s a painful loss," the Spain international confessed to his club's official website after the match. "We reacted [in the second half] but it wasn’t enough. "We have to keep on fighting until the end [but] now we have to prepare for the Champions League match."

Real Madrid's Carvalho and Khedira return to the squad for game against Levante - Goal.com
Real Madrid's Sami Khedira and Ricardo Carvalho have been included in Jose Mourinho's 20-man squad to face Levante on Sunday. Angel Di Maria and Marcelo are still nursing injuries and did not make the cut and will join Hamit Altintop and Lassana Diarra on the sidelines.

Late Betis strike beats Bilbao - Yahoo! Eurosport
Athletic Bilbao missed the chance to move into a Champions League place in La Liga when losing Javi Martinez to a red card and being defeated 2-1 at Real Betis.M arcelo Bielsa's side had won seven of their previous nine games in all competitions, including a Copa del Rey tie against Mirandes in midweek that secured them a final date with Barcelona, but were outplayed by a Betis side battling against relegation.