Defending La Liga champions Barcelona will hope to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointment when they face Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday.
Barca lost 3-2 at home to Valencia on Saturday- their first defeat in two months and their first at home since April 2012.
Away from the pitch, the Neymar transfer from Santos has been under investigation for a while and the resignation of Sandro Rosell as club president are among key issues that rocked Barca during the torrid month of January.
But Coach Gerardo Martino believes its up to the Catalan giants to halt the ‘crisis’ on the field of play as they head into the semi-final first-leg tie.
“It is true that crises always have a beginning so it is up to us to cut short,” coach Martino said.
“We have it within our power to ensure this does not go any further.”
Saturday’s loss saw Atletico Madrid leapfrog Martino’s men at the top of the league, but the coach insist the title race is still wide open.
“Forty-five minutes of bad play is not enough to rule out Barca,” he said. “I think ruling us out would be hasty.”
