Real’s last chance for some silverware

MADRID: In suffocating August heat at the start of the season Real Madrid stayed ice cool to crush Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate in the Spanish Super Cup.

It was a show of force from Spain’s dominant side, the double winners exerting their power over Barcelona and leaving their arch-rivals on the verge of crisis.

New Barca coach Ernesto Valverde looked on helplessly as Brazilian forward Neymar joined Paris St Germain and Real looked unstoppable.

“It’s the first time we’ve felt Madrid are superior,” Barca defender Gerard Pique said after the game.

But as the months passed, it became clear that Real were not capable of defending their league title as Barcelona surged clear at the top of the standings.

Madrid’s league hopes lay in tatters by December, the Catalans winning 3-0 in the Christmas Clasico and moving 14 points clear of Zinedine Zidane’s team.

Real were dumped out of the King’s Cup in January on away goals by unheralded Leganes and Barcelona went on to win that trophy. That was the first step towards a near-certain double for Barcelona, who need one point in their remaining five games to wrest the title back from Real.

Real will ease the pain by retaining their Champions League title, their only hope of salvaging a disappointing season. They face Bayern Munich in the semi-finals as they bid to win it for a third season running, having last season become the first side to retain the trophy by beating Juventus in the final.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged the club’s fans to show respect to tonight’s Champions League semi-final opponents AS Roma when they arrive at the stadium.

Klopp said he wanted to see the same passion and noise from the Liverpool fans inside the ground but better behaviour on the streets outside.

“I think in the stadium, do it again, but outside, show the respect we have to show,” Klopp said.

Klopp thinks he does not need to tell Liverpool fans about the importance of a good atmosphere for his team.

“They create the most special atmosphere in world football,” he said.