[RIVAL WATCH] PSG lose to Guingamp, Villarreal and Hércules win away

Barça’s Champions League round of 16 opponents Paris Saint Germain suffered a setback in their bid to win a fourth successive Ligue 1 title when they lost 2-1 to Guingamp at the weekend.

The result leaves them seven points adrift of leaders Nice and three behind Monaco, who lost at home to fourth placed Lyon. Barça will be at the Parc des Princes on February 14.

Three off the top

Barça’s 4-1 victory over Espanyol means they stay second in LaLiga, although before that match kicked off they had momentarily dropped down to third after Sevilla had won by the same score against fellow Andalusian outfit Málaga.

The win in the Catalan derby narrows the gap at the top of the table to just three points, with Real Madrid’s league fixture postponed due to their presence at the Club World Cup in Japan. The all-whites took that title with a 4-2 defeat after extra time of the host country’s Kashima Antlers.

Barça’s next league fixture will be a tricky away trip to Villarreal (Sunday 8 January at 8.45pm CET). The ‘yellow submarine’ are currently fourth in the table following a 3-1 win at Sporting Gijón at the weekend.

Hércules fourth

That will be the first game of the New Year, but there’s one more job for FCB to do before the players can put their feet up for the festive season. On Wednesday brings the second leg of their Copa del Rey round of 32 tie with Hércules.

The side from Alicante prepared for their visit to the Camp Nou with a 1-0 defeat of Cornellà. The result leaves them fourth in Division 2B Group 3, six points behind leaders Barça B (whose 2-1 win at Ebro you can see here).