Atletico, Barcelona and Actual Madrid set for 10-game dash to the end in La Liga title race

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Gerard Pique knew, and possibly all of them did. By then not less than, at one level or one other, that they had all mentioned it, even when they did not imagine it. That day, although, he truly did and shortly, the remaining joined him. For as soon as, the Barcelona defender might take pleasure in doing a postmatch interview, he mentioned. And so, standing there on the Sanchez Pizjuan on the finish of February, following a 6-1 Barcelona win over Sevilla, he took up his place in entrance of the microphone and the empty stands, smiled and mentioned: “Sure, after all, there’s a league title race nonetheless — worse issues have been seen.”

It was an uncommon manner of placing it, however Atletico Madrid supervisor Diego Simeone knew he was proper, and that is what made it harm.

Was it occurring once more? May the membership that has misplaced three European Cups in a mixed whole of lower than three minutes, two of them beneath Simeone’s administration, be about to lose a league title in catastrophic trend as nicely? Worse issues have been seen, however not a lot worse.

When Atletico beat Cadiz 4-2 on Jan. 31, the title race appeared finished. January closed with Atletico 10 factors clear on the prime — and with a recreation in hand. They’d reached 50 factors and have been nicely on target for 100. For context, Madrid and Barcelona have been on target for 76.

“We’ve got to be lifelike,” Barca supervisor Ronald Koeman admitted. “We’re not ready to win a lot.” In the meantime, Zinedine Zidane’s assistant at Actual Madrid, David Bettoni, insisted: “Madrid’s followers nonetheless imagine within the workforce, as a result of its DNA is to battle till the tip.” However that seemed like a query of pleasure, not factors and the tip, Bettoni knew, was nigh.

It was over. Solely, it wasn’t over.

February modified every little thing. Atletico dropped as many factors in 12 days as that they had beforehand dropped all season. From 50 of a doable 57 to only 5 over their previous 4 video games. In eight video games, 11 factors slipped away after that they had dropped simply 17 in 19 matches prior. They hit the bar, the put up, the goalkeeper and missed sitters, however they only did not discover a manner via like that they had earlier than. Worry visited them once more; strain got here, fatalism. The video games in hand — the factors of which have been inevitably tallied prematurely, as in the event that they did not even need to be performed — have been used up, these additional lives gone.

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At Barcelona and Madrid in the meantime, one thing moved. Slowly at first, however with every passing recreation, they picked up velocity. It wasn’t at all times fairly, however the factors have been there. On the finish of a 1-0 win at Actual Valladolid, Madrid’s Lucas Vazquez went round telling his teammates how necessary that consequence was. Madrid had held in there, that they had been let off usually, and now there was an opportunity. One way or the other.

The margins could possibly be positive. Take week 27. Two good photographs late on: one from Karim Benzema, one from Luis Suarez; one hits the put up and goes in, one hits the put up and goes out. Benzema scores towards Elche, Suarez would not towards Getafe, leaving Madrid simply six factors behind Atletico. Recreation on. Flip it round and Atletico could be 10 factors forward of Madrid. Recreation off.

It was a recurring theme, a 3rd late rescue mission in a row for Madrid: Actual Sociedad (89th-minute equaliser), Atletico (88th-minute equaliser), and Elche (92nd-minute winner). As for Barcelona, they’re unbeaten of their final 19 video games. Unconvincing at first, they’re flying now and are no doubt one of the best workforce in Spain. The one doubt is whether or not they have left it too late, whether or not Atletico can dangle on to what they’ve.

The derby had finished probably the most harm to the league leaders, a chance for Atletico to successfully take away their rivals just for Benzema to get that late equaliser. Nevertheless it wasn’t the one one: Celta had equalised within the 89th minute. Searching for a last-minute equaliser towards Levante, that they had left an open purpose and conceded as an alternative. It cuts each methods, after all: final weekend, Alaves might need finished the identical, just for Atletico’s Jan Oblak to save lots of a late penalty; vulnerability revealed and nerves there for all to see, however this time, catastrophe averted.

“A championship save,” one front-page headline known as it. It was “half the title,” the paper mentioned inside. So many moments have been “half a title” that there should be dozens of them as a result of be handed out when La Liga concludes on the finish of Might.

There is only one, which is greater than many had thought. La Liga is there to be fought for. It had been over, finished. After which, the headlines all of the sudden ran: THE LEAGUE CATCHES FIRE. HOT LEAGUE. THE LEAGUE BURNS. And the favorite: Hay Liga! There’s a league. Recreation on, which did not at all times appear doubtless. Atletico have been too good. Madrid and Barcelona have been too unhealthy. No extra.

And so right here we’re.

Atletico are nonetheless to play Sevilla (away), Actual Betis (away), Huesca (residence), Athletic Bilbao (away), Eibar (residence), Elche (away), BARCELONA (away), Actual Sociedad (residence), Osasuna residence) and Actual Valladolid (away).

In the meantime, Barcelona have video games towards: Actual Valladolid (residence), REAL MADRID (away), Getafe (residence), Villarreal (away), Granada (residence), Valencia (away), ATLETICO MADRID (residence), Levante (away), Celta Vigo (residence) and Eibar (away).

Lastly, Madrid meet: Eibar (residence), Barcelona (residence), Cadiz (away), Actual Betis (residence), Getafe (away), Osasuna (residence), Sevilla (residence), Granada (away), Athletic Bilbao (away) and Villarreal (residence).

They do not begin on the identical line, although. Atletico are prime, the place they’ve been for 15 weeks, sitting on 66 factors. Barcelona are second, 4 factors behind on 62, whereas Madrid are third, six factors behind on 60. (However with a greater, and now unassailable, head-to-head report).

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ESPN FC’s Julien Laurens handicaps Barcelona’s probabilities for successful La Liga.

“We’ve got two enormous groups behind us who will not lose any video games,” Simeone says. Which may’t be fairly proper — until he is positive that his aspect will not beat Barcelona and that the Clasico might be a draw — however which tells you one thing concerning the strain they’re beneath, the mindset they have to undertake. There isn’t any room for half-measures, no place for errors, or enjoyable. Atletico haven’t had a simple recreation since Cadiz, each exhausting, tense week yields a coronary; now they need to get via them come what might. No excuses, no manner out, no simple trip.

Atletico’s place is one of the best, however it’s on no account safe. They might have signed up for this initially of the season, if not midway via it, and so they can lose nonetheless; the opposite workforce cannot. Koeman has neatly urged warning by saying: “the solar’s shining at this time, nevertheless it might rain tomorrow.” And but it is laborious to keep away from the sensation that Simeone’s aspect must win not less than seven of their remaining 10 video games, and not lose to Barcelona.

It’s laborious to guage who has the toughest fixtures, on the face of it. Sevilla, Betis and Barcelona away, recommend maybe Atletico. Though Barcelona’s run of Madrid, Villarreal and Valencia away, and Atletico at residence is just not simple both. Neither is Madrid’s, with Los Blancos nonetheless to navigate residence video games towards Barcelona, Sevilla and Villarreal. If the three candidates get the identical outcomes towards these groups as they did final time they performed them, Atletico would end on 94, Barcelona on simply 79 and Madrid on 83.

However these groups should not the identical now, the fixtures are inverted — residence the place they have been away, and vice versa — and these groups definitely aren’t within the type they have been then. If, over the subsequent 10 video games, the three sides have been to select up factors on the fee of their final 10 video games, exit velocity prevailing, Barcelona would end with 90, Atletico with 85 and Madrid with 83.

“I have been telling the gamers that the target is necessary and it is great if you may get there however the journey is extra necessary, what issues most, what you take pleasure in most, is travelling the trail,” Simeone mentioned, though he doubtless did not imagine it. As a substitute, his different mantra stands: recreation by recreation.

Ten of them stay now, the season getting into into weeks when you possibly can even forgive Zidane his behavior of calling each recreation a last. That is not up to now off now, lose and it is gone. Neither is the road: “Individuals appear to suppose we might win the league by 15 or 20 factors,” Simeone mentioned. “I do not know what they anticipated.”

Not this, not then. However that is what they have. A league the place there was none.

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