Marc Casado de Barcelona celebrates his goal on Sunday against Real Sociedad, in a 4-0 victory that led Barça to the top of the Liga. (AP photo / Joan Monfort)
(Associated Press)
The tightest race for European football has been curious and confusing for months for months. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid went up and fell, Jockeying for the Liga position. They each occupied first place. They entered with a point separating them. They were, the table seemed to shout, locked in an exciting battle for three for supremacy in Spain.
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But in reality, the battle has changed – far from the reigning champions, towards the team which, on the whole, was the best of the Liga since the start of this season.
This clearly team is Barcelona.
Barça was incoherent and sometimes unlucky. He has tested an autumn advantage with a horrible race – five seven championship matches – in November and December. But now he has resumed his form and has returned to the top of the league with 4-0 Sunday victory On the real Sociedad.
Real Madrid, for its part, sprayed. Whites have lost and groaning referees, creating distractions for themselves. Their lack of cohesion, associated with injuries, appeared in February, when they only won once in four trials; And again on Saturday, when they were beaten and Beaten 2-1 by Real Betis.
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They have looked fantastic in flight in fullAnd stay the favorites of the Champions League. But at La Liga, in addition to their structural and tactical gaps, there has been an essential meaning of “I went there, I did that.”
And their shortcomings have thrown control of the title race towards their two archivals. Neither Atlético Madrid nor Barcelona have lost since mid-January. Barça took six consecutive victories by a cumulative margin of 19-2. The sixth, Sunday, took the Catalan club three points ahead of Real and a point away from Atlético at the top of the table.
He also embodies the prowess of Barça. Although helped by a red card, the counting of the shooting attempt was always breathtaking: Barcelona 30, Sociedad 0. And the red card was a sub-product of a wonderful midfielder interaction. The first goal was Lamine Yamal to his best. Yamal, at 17, has already established itself as the best creator of La Liga. He tortured a defender with a tight control of the ball, seated him with a feigned, attracted a second defender and unlocked the game.
The three fronts of Barça – Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha – prospered under Hansi Flick, the German coach who Transformed this club of club and illness.. While Real Madrid has tried to set up its superstars, the domination of Barcelona was systemic.
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Lewandowski, who directs Pichichi graphics (Golden Boot), A not had a year from another world. He and Raphinha actually have underperform their Given the expected objectives – which means that they have scored fewer goals than you expect that the average player scores if we give the chance that their teammate and their teammates have created.
But still, the attack on Barça was by far the most prolific in Spain because Yamal, Raphinha and a smooth midfielder led by Pedri so much created – and because they all relied on Aggressive and daring approach to sport flick.
Atleti completely offers the contrast. This often does not take any initiative. While Barça on average 67% possession, the side of Diego Simeone is only slightly greater than 50%. The Argentinian manager, formerly an ardent defensive midfielder, continued to create teams in his own image.
And it works. Again. Atleti only conceded 16 goals in 26 championship matches. He beat fourth place in Bilbao athletic on Saturday 1-0, in a match that characterized his unique greatness. Julián Alvarez left the bench to mark a winner in the second half. Conor Gallagher's slides in time to stop whipped the crowd in a frenzy. Simeone pumped his fists towards a worshiper crowd while he went back down to the tunnel, the mission (closely) accomplished.
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These three points were the 33rd, 34th and 35th of Atlético bought by a margin of a zero -bug – on 56 points in total. For most clubs, such a race does not seem unsustainable. But for Atleti, it is the magic of the Metropolitano. It was the story of the challenges of the past title. There is no reason why he cannot resist for a few more months and be his story.
Barça, however, has the biggest margin of error. He has the coach and the players. He now has an Elandey and an undeniable impulse. The Catalans, until further notice, are the favorites.
