Xavi’s final months at Barcelona could see things go from bad to worse, Real Madrid must quit their comebacks and Rafa Benitez’s honeymoon is over at Celta Vigo… 10 THINGS WE LEARNED from LaLiga

Xavi quit but he’s leaving in instalments, one shocking defensive display at a time judging from Barcelona’s horror show against Villarreal. 

The head coach’s explosive news came in the wake of an igniminious 5-3 home defeat to the strugglers, their worst on home turf for over 50 years.

Elsewhere Real Madrid came back again during their trip to Gran Canaria, swiping a 2-1 win against Las Palmas. 

Plus, Atletico Madrid won in front of a watching Moise Kean, Mason Greenwood scored again for Getafe and Rafa Benitez hit the boos. 

Here are 10 things we learned from LaLiga.

The Blaugrana lost 5-3 at home, the first time opponents have scored five past them on home soil since 1963

Things could still get worse at Barcelona

According to Xavi everything will be better now that he has said he’s going in June. If the players use the uncertainty about who coaches them next season as an excuse then they may well get worse. 

No one at Barcelona is ruling out more drama before June.

In the meantime someone has to sort out the defence

Barcelona have now let in 46 goals in 32 games in all competitions – the same as in the entirety of last season. 

They had not shipped five at home since 1963 and that was against Real Madrid, not a struggling Villarreal.

Lewandowski leading behind the scenes

Barcelona players had lunch together on Monday to discuss the current situation and they did so at Lewandowski’s house. 

Maybe it was because he has the biggest house, but more likely it’s because in spite of everything he remains a player the rest look to for leadership.

Robert Lewandowski remains a leader within the side and hosted a meeting on Monday

Mason Greenwood is helping keep Getafe in the hunt for European competition next season

Greenwood one of La Liga’s top performers

With six goals and four assists Mason Greenwood has better numbers than the rest of La Liga’s wingers, not to mention Manchester United’s. 

He led Getafe to victory on Monday keeping them in the race for a Europa Conference League place next season. 

Madrid’s relatively calm still reliant on comebacks

They turned the game around against Las Palmas on Saturday and it was the tenth time they had done it in all competitions this season. 

It’s a strength, but a weakness too that they need claw back scorelines so many times.

Real Madrid beat Las Palmas 2-1 but had to rely on a fightback after first falling behind

Rafa Benitez has been given a lot of slack at Celta Vigo but things are becoming trickier

Luka leaving in the summer

Luka Modric is surplus at Real Madrid. His contract runs out this summer and the club are sending him a clear message – he’s been a sub 17 times this season playing only just over 40 percent of minutes and he didn’t even warm-up at the weekend.

Rafa’s extended honeymoon is over

He was cut plenty of slack because Celta Vigo fans are not used to a coach who has won leagues and Champions Leagues. 

But they chanted ‘Rafa Out’ after the team lost to Girona to stay one place outside the bottom three.

Body blow for Simeone ahead of Inter game

Atletico lost Jose Gimenez to injury and he is likely to be out for around three weeks with a hamstring strain. 

It could even keep him out of the first-leg of their Champions League last-16 match against Inter. And he is Atletico’s best defender.

Kean will not have it easy

Moise Kean was at the Metropolitano to watch Atletico Madrid on Sunday and is due to be presented on Tuesday after signing on loan until the summer. 

The loanee from Juventus has big boots to fill replacing the ever-reliable super-sub Angel Correa who goes to Saudi Arabia. He also has to compete with Memphis Depay who has scored twice in the last two games.

Diego Simeone could miss out on the services Jose Gimenez (pictured centre) against Inter

Isaac Romero has been on impressive form for Sevilla since his promotion to the first team

A star is born in Sevilla

Isaac Romero was scoring goals for the B-team in the fourth tier until the club’s striker crisis got so bad that he was promoted to the first team. 

He has scored four goals in five games since – the last four that Sevilla have scored. 

In a miserable season for the club the 23-year-old is much needed good news.