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Spanish Inquisition: La Liga’s Title Race Has Been Blown Wide Open After Barcelona’s Defeat
Goal.com’s KS Leong wonders if the Blancos can take advantage of Barca’s first fumble and an escalating injury crisis...
Feb 15, 2010 2:31:00 PM
By KS Leong
It was the tumble that the royal half of the Spanish capital was waiting for. Barcelona were finally beaten in La Liga this season and in the process, breathed new life into the title battle.
The irony is not lost in the fact that it was Real Madrid’s own city nemesis Atletico who brought down the reigning league champions, just a week after another Madrid side Getafe had failed to do so.
But at this moment in time, Atleti couldn’t have cared less about doing their neighbours a huge favour. They desperately wanted to beat Barca themselves in a fixture that has become one of the most pulsating in recent seasons, and they were even more desperate for three precious points.
It was indeed three very priceless points handed to Los Merengues with love, ribbons and bowties on Valentine’s Day. And it was also a gift to all La Liga aficionados who can now anticipate a real championship fight. But it didn’t always look as though it was going to be that way.
Goal.com’s own Spanish Inquisition resident Cyrus C. Malek had queried a few weeks ago whether the Primera Division title race was all but over by taking into account Barcelona’s form and the unlikelihood that they would drop enough points to surrender pole position. It wasn’t that the Blaugrana had carved open such a commanding, insurmountable lead over Madrid, but it had more to do with the fact that the hex-champions had never really looked like losing all season long.
And there was this feeling that they could go through the entire league campaign undefeated, not because they are invincible and omnipotent on the pitch in every single game, but because they seem to have inherited that familiar quality that all champions posses: the ability to win or avoid defeat even when they have their backs against the wall, the kind of mettle they were precisely praised for last weekend in the 2-1 win over Getafe when they were down to ten men midway through the first half and eventually finished the game with only nine.
But Pep Guardiola really do have his back against the wall now. His defence and midfield is crumbling before his very eyes and Barca’s title defence may be, too. Seydou Keita showed just how easy it is for a team’s entire defensive system to collapse in a space of a few weeks. The Malian will now join fellow midfielder Toure Yaya in the treatment room, along with Dani Alves, Eric Abidal and Dmytro Chygrynskiy, and the latest and perhaps most significant addition, Xavi.
Gerard Pique and Rafa Marquez will return from suspension to give Pep a massive boost, but can they avoid picking up serious injuries themselves? It seems too unrealistic of a coincidence that something like that would happen but considering how the blue and maroon squadron have been dropping like flies, you wouldn’t bet against it. It’s appearing as though in telenovela fashion, someone has craftily poisoned the drinking water at the Camp Nou. Or maybe someone has reversed a voodoo curse.
The Catalan colossus may have talented youngsters who can easily stand in for one of their regular megastars, but when you have major injury blows to five of your key players, even that is too much to compensate for a talented team like Barcelona.
But Barca slipping up is one thing, Real Madrid capitalising on it is, ofcourse, another matter altogether.
It has taken what feels like an eternity for the ‘Men in White’ to slash the gap to the Blaugrana, eventhough it has been no more than four rounds. But that is just testament to how difficult and frustrating it is to even get close to their eternal enemies, let alone to catch them... let alone to overtake them.
Los Blancos have admirably demonstrated that they can perform and win with or without Cristiano Ronaldo – or more controversially, with or without any refereeing help. They are now also playing some slick football, even when a side like Xerez erect a brick wall to keep out the galactic invaders. But Madrid have to maintain their momentum until the end and avoid stumbling on their own. Their squad depth will be put under the microscope once again when the business end of the Champions League resumes this week, and you’ll be a fool for thinking that Europe’s blue ribbon club competition isn’t priority number one for the ‘White House’.
With just two points separating La Liga’s two ferocious foes, the title race has indeed been blown wide open, not that it was ever a solo Usain Bolt-esque jog to begin with. But can it be kept wide open? Or will Barca just bounce back, re-establish their advantage and prance away, like it so often happens in anti-climactic title pursuits.
This coming weekend, Madrid’s own proud record will be put to the test as they attempt to preserve their unblemished home run when they welcome Manuel Pellegrini’s former side Villarreal to the Santiago Bernabeu. Barcelona will return to the safe confines of the Camp Nou to take on an erratic Racing Santander, but you just feel that Guardiola will be more concerned with avoiding yet another injury calamity ahead of the trip to Stuttgart in the Champions League and facing the possibility of having to line-up with a 2-1-2 formation.
The irony is not lost in the fact that it was Real Madrid’s own city nemesis Atletico who brought down the reigning league champions, just a week after another Madrid side Getafe had failed to do so.
| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £85.00 | Draw £55.00 | Barcelona £12.50 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £95.00 | Draw £55.00 | Barcelona £12.90 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £90.00 | Draw £50.00 | Barcelona £13.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £90.00 | Draw £60.00 | Barcelona £12.90 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £87.00 | Draw £53.00 | Barcelona £12.50 |
|
But at this moment in time, Atleti couldn’t have cared less about doing their neighbours a huge favour. They desperately wanted to beat Barca themselves in a fixture that has become one of the most pulsating in recent seasons, and they were even more desperate for three precious points.
It was indeed three very priceless points handed to Los Merengues with love, ribbons and bowties on Valentine’s Day. And it was also a gift to all La Liga aficionados who can now anticipate a real championship fight. But it didn’t always look as though it was going to be that way.
Goal.com’s own Spanish Inquisition resident Cyrus C. Malek had queried a few weeks ago whether the Primera Division title race was all but over by taking into account Barcelona’s form and the unlikelihood that they would drop enough points to surrender pole position. It wasn’t that the Blaugrana had carved open such a commanding, insurmountable lead over Madrid, but it had more to do with the fact that the hex-champions had never really looked like losing all season long.
And there was this feeling that they could go through the entire league campaign undefeated, not because they are invincible and omnipotent on the pitch in every single game, but because they seem to have inherited that familiar quality that all champions posses: the ability to win or avoid defeat even when they have their backs against the wall, the kind of mettle they were precisely praised for last weekend in the 2-1 win over Getafe when they were down to ten men midway through the first half and eventually finished the game with only nine.
But Pep Guardiola really do have his back against the wall now. His defence and midfield is crumbling before his very eyes and Barca’s title defence may be, too. Seydou Keita showed just how easy it is for a team’s entire defensive system to collapse in a space of a few weeks. The Malian will now join fellow midfielder Toure Yaya in the treatment room, along with Dani Alves, Eric Abidal and Dmytro Chygrynskiy, and the latest and perhaps most significant addition, Xavi.
Gerard Pique and Rafa Marquez will return from suspension to give Pep a massive boost, but can they avoid picking up serious injuries themselves? It seems too unrealistic of a coincidence that something like that would happen but considering how the blue and maroon squadron have been dropping like flies, you wouldn’t bet against it. It’s appearing as though in telenovela fashion, someone has craftily poisoned the drinking water at the Camp Nou. Or maybe someone has reversed a voodoo curse.
The Catalan colossus may have talented youngsters who can easily stand in for one of their regular megastars, but when you have major injury blows to five of your key players, even that is too much to compensate for a talented team like Barcelona.
But Barca slipping up is one thing, Real Madrid capitalising on it is, ofcourse, another matter altogether.
Lady luck fancies herself in white
It has taken what feels like an eternity for the ‘Men in White’ to slash the gap to the Blaugrana, eventhough it has been no more than four rounds. But that is just testament to how difficult and frustrating it is to even get close to their eternal enemies, let alone to catch them... let alone to overtake them.
Los Blancos have admirably demonstrated that they can perform and win with or without Cristiano Ronaldo – or more controversially, with or without any refereeing help. They are now also playing some slick football, even when a side like Xerez erect a brick wall to keep out the galactic invaders. But Madrid have to maintain their momentum until the end and avoid stumbling on their own. Their squad depth will be put under the microscope once again when the business end of the Champions League resumes this week, and you’ll be a fool for thinking that Europe’s blue ribbon club competition isn’t priority number one for the ‘White House’.
With just two points separating La Liga’s two ferocious foes, the title race has indeed been blown wide open, not that it was ever a solo Usain Bolt-esque jog to begin with. But can it be kept wide open? Or will Barca just bounce back, re-establish their advantage and prance away, like it so often happens in anti-climactic title pursuits.
This coming weekend, Madrid’s own proud record will be put to the test as they attempt to preserve their unblemished home run when they welcome Manuel Pellegrini’s former side Villarreal to the Santiago Bernabeu. Barcelona will return to the safe confines of the Camp Nou to take on an erratic Racing Santander, but you just feel that Guardiola will be more concerned with avoiding yet another injury calamity ahead of the trip to Stuttgart in the Champions League and facing the possibility of having to line-up with a 2-1-2 formation.
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Athletic Bilbao - FC Barcelona
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