Barcelona came into their game against Real Betis knowing that they needed to win to stay in first place in La Liga over Atletico Madrid via head-to-head point differential, but they came out of the gates like a team with little to play for. 

Seven yellow cards were given out between Barcelona and Betis in the first half, more than the number of shots taken by both teams in that time, six.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo injury setback means the Portuguese forward faces a race against time in his battle for fitness. The AS is reporting that Cristiano Ronaldo will undergo a round of stem cell treatments in order to try and return for the second leg of Real Madrid's Champions League clash with Manchester City next Wednesday.

They say that people die three years after they retire, that the loss of something meaningful to do ruins their desire to live. This idea of life as a conscious decision might seem a little too dramatic to be real, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s rejuvenation over the past month leads to the contrary. The possibility of success this year has given Ronaldo a new lease on life.

Here are some numbers concerning Barcelona's La Liga form during the last two weeks, none of which we are making up.

Barca have scored 14 goals in their last two games, eight against Deportivo la Coruna and six against Sporting Gijon. They have not been scored against. Eight of those goals were scored by Luis Suarez, four in each game. Four of those goals were assisted by Luis Suarez, three against Deportivo and one against Sporting.

It just isn’t fair. La Masia, soccer’s foremost player production line, looks loaded with the next generation of talent that will ensure Barcelona’s dominance for years to come. Barcelona’s academy is renowned for its philosophy of play, dictating an emphasis on technical ability and one-touch play. 

Barcelona have been in a bad way (for them) recently. They sandwiched two league losses around a stunning loss to Atletico Madrid that bounced them from the Champions League (after having won the first leg). This was the first time Barcelona had lost three games in a row since 2003. The momentum changed Wednesday, when Luis Suarez apparently decided he had had enough, and took his frustration out on the hapless Deportivo la Coruna, to the tune of four goals and three assists.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Neymar is 24 years old, and it’s just as easy to forget just how immature that age really is. Yes, there are plenty of footballers around the world who show maturity beyond their years at that age, but unlike Neymar they aren’t really worth mentioning. Neymar is ungodly talented, that much is clear, but he is the finished product. 

Dani Alves is not coping with Barcelona's unceremonious dumping from the Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid well. 

The Brazilian right back took to Instagram and he, um, well he did this:

Here are some real things that have been said about Lionel Messi:

"It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind." - Xavi

"They tell me that all men are equal in God’s eyes, this player makes you seriously think about those words." - Football commentator Ray Hudson