Barcelona were stunned by struggling Las Palmas on Saturday afternoon, going a third successive La Liga game without a win to throw open the door for Real Madrid in the title race.

Ex-Barcelona forward Sandro Ramirez put Las Palmas into a shock lead at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, where the Catalans were proudly celebrating their 125th anniversary. But while Raphinha restored parity in the score-line, there was an even greater shock when Fabio Silva put the Canary islanders back into the lead, which they managed to hold onto to claim a historic 2-1 win.

Barca lost left-back Alejandro Balde to a scary-looking injury in the early stages, but at least got the chance to welcome winger Lamine Yamal back off the bench for the second half.

Barcelona are facing a critical situation with Frenkie de Jong, as per reports from journalist Alfredo Martinez.

The reporter mentions that if the Dutch midfielder does not leave the club during the summer, Barcelona might be forced to consider a drastic move—terminating his contract.

This potential course of action stems from ongoing concerns about his contractual situation and its impact on the club’s finances.

De Jong’s current deal with Barcelona runs until 2026, but negotiations for an extension have hit a roadblock. While the club has made an offer, the player has yet to respond.

Despite Barcelona approaching him a while ago, there has been no indication of his willingness to renew.

This prolonged silence has raised concerns within the club, with fears growing that De Jong might be planning to leave for free once his current contract expires.

To avoid such an outcome, Barcelona are prepared to take decisive action. If De Jong does not agree to a new deal or fails to provide clarity on his future by next summer, the club intends to sell him.

This decision aligns with their strategy to avoid losing players for nothing, particularly high-value assets like De Jong.

Financially, De Jong represents a significant burden for Barcelona. Following his contract extension during the pandemic, the total cost of retaining him amounts to approximately €35 million per season.

This figure includes his salary, deferred payments, and amortisation, making him one of the club’s most expensive players.

Given their ongoing financial struggles, Barcelona are actively exploring options to reduce their wage bill and improve their balance sheet.

If no resolution is found, the club could even consider releasing him as a free agent to eliminate his €35 million annual cost. Such a move would provide much-needed financial relief and create room for Barcelona to reinvest in their squad.

Real Madrid have made it back-to-back victories in La Liga after they defeated Leganes 3-0 at Butarque in an all-Madrid affair.

The visitors dominated the first half, but they had to wait until the 43rd minute to break the deadlock. It was a monumental error from Adri Altimara that gifted the ball to Vinicius Junior, and he squared for Kylian Mbappe to score his first goal in five matches.

Just beyond the hour mark, Real Madrid would score their second courtesy of Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan, who was captain on the day, fired home a well-struck free-kick for his fourth goal of the season.

Late on, Jude Bellingham made it goals in back-to-back matches as he capitalised on a fortuitous bounce off the crossbar to head into an empty net.

The result means that Real Madrid go back above Atletico Madrid into second place in La Liga. Carlo Ancelotti’s side have also cut Barcelona’s lead to four points, having played a game less than their bitter rivals.