Los Blancos dropped points last night at Espanyol’s RCDE stadium, giving the Catalans a golden opportunity to close the points gap. The title race heats up once more, and here are the key factors that could define Barca’s La Liga campaign moving forward.
Real Madrid’s Slip-Up in the Barcelona City
Real Madrid slipped up big time and lost three precious points against Espanyol last night. Maybe some fans would call it unexpected, but I believe it was bound to happen. With so many away games under their belt and the mounting pressure from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, Los Blancos’ points drop was inevitable.
Barcelona might see a ray of hope and should seize this opportunity. The points gap between them and RM is now only seven, and it’s the perfect chance for the Catalans to close this margin. It has been a roller coaster for Barca this season, and if, by any chance, Barca regain the lead, it would be absolute pandemonium in Europe over it.
BarCa Hold the Key to Their Own Comeback
Barcelona now has a game in hand over Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, which means that they still have a major advantage in the title race. Today’s match against Deportivo Alaves could prove to be a game-changer and reduce the deficit significantly.
Flick’s team must capitalize on Real Madrid’s mistake; otherwise, it will all be in vain. A win would put Barca just three points behind Atletico and only four behind Real Madrid. It’s been a season where every point counts, and today’s home game against Alaves gives us a real shot at the title.
Injury Issues and a Tough February for Arch Rivals
Looking ahead, Real de Madrid might be having a few problems in the final phase of La Liga. The Real Madrid ace centre-back, Toni Rudiger, got injured last night against Espanyol. He will be out for 20 days, which is most of February. This means the German centre-back will miss the clash against Atletico Madrid and also a vital Champions League fixture against City.
Madrid’s February schedule looks crucial as they will have an essential must-win game against Atletico just a week from today. A tricky away trip to Osasuna is also on the calendar. This fixture list could take a heavy toll on their squad. Barca’s schedule, on the contrary, looks a lot easier. This is perfect for the Catalans, and the need to take advantage of all this holds utmost importance.
Atletico Madrid Vs Real Madrid
The Madrid derby, set to be played on Feb 9, holds enormous importance in gaining the upper hand in La Liga, and Barcelona should be watching it closely. An Atletico win would favour Barca and close the gap even further. A win for the Los Blancos, on the other hand, would make Barca closer to second spot. However, the ideal result for Barca would be a draw between both Madrid clubs as both will drop points and close the gap against Barca simultaneously.
The upcoming Clasico will be another moment of truth in deciding the La Liga winners, but it is far from today’s date, and a lot could happen in the meantime.
With all these great opportunities, it’s up to Barca now to capitalize and make the most of them. The next few weeks could be pivotal in deciding this season’s La Liga champions. Visca Barca!
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