Barcelona’s fading hopes of capturing a fourth consecutive La Liga crown suffered a major setback when they lost 3-2 at Osasuna on Saturday to leave Real Madrid seven points clear at the top with a game in hand. In freezing conditions in Pamplona, Osasuna striker Dejan Lekic scored twice inside the first 22 minutes and Barca, who have struggled on the road all season, waited too long to react.

Spanish World Cup winners Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas started on the bench, and although Alexis Sanchez pulled one back in the 52nd minute, Raul Garcia quickly restored Osasuna’s advantage.

Barcelona’s youth team winger Cristian Tello grabbed a second in the 73rd but a late charge just failed to produce the equaliser.

The world and European champions’ second defeat of the season left them on 48 points, seven short of leaders Real, who host high-flying Levante on Sunday.

“The league is much tougher now, and I suppose tomorrow we will see the gap grow even larger,” Barca coach Pep Guardiola said. “If we could play well on this pitch in the second half we should have done so in the first as well. We found it hard to get into the game.” said the Barcelona manager.

Osasuna’s bumpy pitch and a swirling wind saw both sets of players struggling to keep their feet at the Reyno de Navarra stadium, but the hosts adapted quicker than Barcelona. Serbian striker Lekic beat Victor Valdes at his near post after only five minutes to open the scoring and the Navarrans continued to boss the game until they doubled the lead. A low cross from the right saw Lekic arrive unmarked again to find the net and Barca went in at the break trailing by two goals for the first time in the league since Guardiola took the helm in 2008.

Barcelona turned to youngsters Tello and Isaac Cuenca at halftime, perhaps reserving Xavi and Iniesta for the return to Champions League action next Tuesday, and the latter provided the cross for Alexis to score in the 51st minute.