EIBAR DEMANDED LITTLE OF REAL MADRID

Carlo Ancelotti continues to prove that he is a wily old fox and that some leopards can change their spots.

Although he has virtually always stuck with a standard XI throughout his career and does not like to make substitutions until late on in the game, at this stage of the season and with the Champions League just 72 hours away, he opted for an unprecedented line-up against Eibar and made his changes earlier than ever.

And there were lots of them. Only four of his regular starters actually started: Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo. After he had made his substitutions, only two first-choice players were left: Pepe, who came on for Ramos, and Ronaldo, of course, who always plays and never gets substituted.

The replacements, although some of them play quite often (Álvaro Arbeloa, Raphaël Varane, Isco), got the job done, with some of them pushed more than others. Two men had the chance to show off their abilities: Jesé and Chicharito.

The home-grown player proved his worth with his late goal, but never looked entirely comfortable. He started on the right, switching to the left flank at times, but failed to demonstrate his true potential except in the move when he scored. That was when Jesé looked like Jesé. He showed speed and produced a good shimmy with little space to work with, followed by an even better finish.

Chicharito played a more active role. His positioning and talents were never on a par with those of Karim Benzema, even if he was supposedly playing in the same position.

With Toni Kroos suspended, Ancelotti decided not to play Lucas Silva in midfield. One of the reasons for signing the Brazilian was supposed to be that the manager does not see Illarramendi as a natural replacement for the German.

He cannot be too keen on Lucas Silva either, because he has only played one match (against Levante) as a central holding midfielder.

SPECTACULAR STRIKE BY NEYMAR

Neymar made it 2-0 with this stunning free kick.

BARÇA AND REAL FACE A SIMILAR RUN-IN

Both sides have seven games to go with a complicated fixture list offering no margin for error. Also, the Champions League has the potential to complicate things for both contenders. Real Madrid face Atlético and Barça take on PSG. The 'Azulgranas' host Valencia between the first and second legs, whilst 'Los Blancos' are at home to Málaga in what will be the first chance for Carlo Ancelotti's men to retake the top spot.

The 'Culés' then visit Espanyol, Cordoba and the Vicente Calderón, with home games against Getafe, Real Sociedad and Deportivo.

Real still have to travel to Balaídos, the Sánchez Pizjuán and Cornellà, whilst playing Almería, Valencia and Getafe on home turf. Interestingly, the two teams have fairly similar runs of fixtures.

Sergio Busquets was one of the players who mentioned the task facing Barça after the Sevilla thriller. "We've got a tough run of games coming", said the midfielder, who also regretted slipping up and allowing Real to close the gap: "The advantage is less than a game now, but we have to approach the league the same way we have done up until now, going for the three points, even though we have some tough grounds still to visit."

LUIS ENRIQUE DEFIANT DESPITE DRAW IN SEVILLE

"It's no big deal. We're still top and we're confident that we will keep improving", the 44-year-old said in the wake of the equaliser that his charges shipped in the closing stages at the Sánchez Pizjuán.

"We were clearly the better team in the first half, playing really good football, causing Sevilla a lot of problems and controlling the match. It's a shame that by losing control for just three minutes, we allowed the game to be blown open again", the 'Azulgranas' coach noted.

"The second half was much more hard-fought and tightly balanced. Both sides had chances, neither team were on top, but we made a mistake and we paid for it", Luis Enrique went on, putting Sevilla's two goals down to momentary lapses and a manic three-minute spell before the break that he felt "unsettled" Barça.

The former Celta manager denied that his players had taken their foot off the pedal after half-time and instead preferred to praise Unai Emery's side, calling them "one of the best teams in the league".

"We nearly had them, but they played really well and brought a lot of intensity", Luis Enrique concluded.

BARÇA COUGH UP TWO-GOAL LEAD IN 2-2 DRAW AT SEVILLA

Lionel Messi and Neymar gave Barcelona an early 2-0 lead, only to see Éver Banega cut the deficit to one before halftime and then Kevin Gameiro scoring a late equalizer to ensure a sharing of the points.

The result reduced Barcelona's lead atop the La Liga table to just two points ahead of Real Madrid, who were 3-0 winners over Eibar earlier on Saturday.

Manager Luis Enrique made the decision to start Jeremy Mathieu in defense ahead of Javier Mascherano, likely taking into account the aerial prowess of the Frenchman over the Argentine. Joining Mathieu in defense was Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué and Jordi Alba in front of goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. In the midfield it was the usual trio of Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta, while Neymar and Luis Suárez were restored to the starting line-up with Messi.

After an initial period in which the two teams felt each other out, an exquisite strike from Messi would open the scoring just shy of 14 minutes. Neymar played a ball across to Messi, and the Argentine cut to his left and slung one of his patented left-footed curlers around Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico and into the net.

Barcelona doubled their lead on the half hour mark when Neymar converted a superb free kick taken just outside the area. The Brazilian curled the ball right over the wall and into the top left corner as a motionless Rico could only stand and watch.

With Barcelona up 2-0, Sevilla dug in their heels and started pressing forward in search of a goal. And just seven minutes after Neymar's strike, the Andalusians would halve the margin when Banega's long-range effort found the back of the net. The Argentine was given enough time and space and fired a shot on goal that Bravo perhaps should have saved. Instead it glanced off the Chilean's hands, struck the inside of the post and went in to make it a 2-1 game.

It looked for all the world that Suárez would make it 3-1 to Barcelona in the 50th minute after a neat combination play from Iniesta and a ball deflected off of Rico giving the Uruguayan an open look at goal, but somehow the former Liverpool man managed to send his effort over the crossbar, much to the dismay of Luis Enrique on the touchline.

That was followed up by a pair of Sevilla misses, with Koke and Carlos Bacca both unable to land a shot on target in the 53rd and 55th minutes, respectively.

As the match entered its final 20 minutes, the points were still very much up for grabs with Sevilla pushing hard for an equalizer and cheered on by their boisterous home fans. Their attacking impetus was rewarded on 83 minutes when the hosts drew level thanks to a goal from substitute Kevin Gameiro. Jose Antonio Reyes intercepted a Pique pass and the veteran fed Aleix Vidal on the right who then crossed for Gameiro, giving the former PSG man an easy push into Bravo's goal to make it 2-2.

There would be no late winner for Barcelona, who now turn their focus to Wednesday's Champions League quarter final clash in France versus PSG.

HUGE AMOUNTS RIDING ON REAL-ATLÉTICO TIE

If Carlo Ancelotti's troops knock out the 'Rojiblancos', it would go a long way towards rectifying the wayward course taken by their campaign back in February. Furthermore, the morale boost would spur them on in their bid to win all their remaining La Liga matches, reaching the 94-point mark which could well be enough to land the title.

On the other hand, if Atlético end their fabled city rivals' dreams for the third time this season - they prevailed in the Spanish Super Cup and dumped the 'Blancos' out of the Copa del Rey - both Ancelotti and more than half a dozen of his players would be on borrowed time. A summer overhaul would ensue at the Bernabéu, including the installation of a new coach.

The Real players are more pumped than ever and are gunning for revenge in the upcoming derby double-header. Álvaro Arbeloa issued a rallying cry on the pitch at the Bernabéu after the win over Eibar, stressing that the squad are "full of hope and motivation" ahead of the Champions League quarter-final tie.

Jesé also weighed in: "We'll be going to the Calderón brimming with optimism, knowing we have the second leg to come at home. We have to get a result and show what Real Madrid are all about".