Barca hope to end year on Madrid\\\'s coattails

MADRID, Dec 19 (AFP): Barcelona's star strikers will need to rediscover their scoring touch to stay in the title race in La Liga as the Catalan outfit host struggling Cordoba Saturday.
In the absence of the injured Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez drew a blank in a 0-0 draw at Getafe last weekend that saw Luis Enrique's men fall four points behind in-form league leaders Real Madrid.
However, with the European champions playing San Lorenzo in the final of the Club World Cup Saturday evening, Barca can cut the gap to a single point heading into the new year.
"Ahead of the match against Cordoba, it is important to end the year on a winning note and give some joy to the fans," midfielder Ivan Rakitic said Thursday.
Barca will end the year having failed to claim a single trophy for the first time in six years, but, despite an indifferent start to Luis Enrique's time in charge, Xavi Hernandez is confident of ending that drought in what is likely to be the final season of his illustrious Barcelona career.