Barcelona pick up the pace
The La Liga fortunes of Barcelona and Real Madrid appear to be heading in diametrically opposite directions. A bit like those weather predicting gadgets when one figure, clad in raincoat and sheltering beneath an umbrella, ventures forward if rain is on the way while his opposite number hides inside. The reverse then applies, as shorts and vest donned sunbathing figure emerges if precipitation is unlikely. There seems such a linked dichotomy between the duopoly of clubs that scoop up so much of the silverware in Spain.
Early on Saturday, Barça journeyed to the oft tricky fixture away to Eibar complete with their new ‘Trident’ apparently all fit and firing.
Whilst José Luis Mendilibar’s team voluntarily bend the knee for no-one, as the game progressed, there was a growing inevitability that the home team’s offside ploy would be picked apart by the razorsharp passing and quicksilver movement of Valverde’s front line. And so, it came to pass. Los Armeros resisted with typical heart and endeavour but, with De Jong apparently now finding his elegant feet in the heart of the Blaugrana midfield and having Busquets alongside to nurse him through any defensive requirements, goals were on the menu, and the Trident plunged in their forks. Griezmann’s strike in the unlucky thirteenth minute for the home team, eased any pressure and early in the second period Messi struck, before setting up a simple tap in for Luis Suárez.
In the end, Barça won at a relative canter with the score being kept within the bounds of reason by home goalkeeper Dmitrovic, who worked overtime to deny the rampant visiting forwards on repeated occasions. Although the defeat will have stung the compact Ipurua Municipal Stadium, Eibar won’t have to face an in-form team like this every week, and their resolute belligerence will surely see them survive another term in the top tier. With crowds hovering around the 7,000 mark, it’s an achievement worthy of immense praise.
Later the same day, Los Blancos, bereft of the services of stars such as Modric, Bale and Hazard visited Mallorca, but this was no time to chill out on the holiday island. A couple of weeks ago, I flagged up that there may be cracks beneath what appeared to be a serenely smooth surface at the table-topping Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Those cracks now appear to be developing worryingly into potential fissures. Although coming very early in the piece, Lago Junior’s seventh minute strike often looked like being the decisive moment of the game as the visitors huffed and puffed but never really looked like blowing the Estadio de Son Moix down. Some 20,000 delighted fans celebrated as promoted Los Bermellones climbed away from the foot of the table.
For fans of Los Blancos though, with the first Clásico meeting of the season likely to be postponed due to the unrest in Cataluña, the upcoming back-to-back games against Turkish Süper Lig champions Galatasaray – with home games against Leganés and Real Betis in between – now look to be critical, not only for their Champions League aspirations, but also as a barometer for their season as a whole. Will Zidane still be at the club in a couple of weeks. Performances and results may decide the issue. The dark shadow of José Mourinho, hovers menacingly.
In Saturday’s other encounters, Atlético Madrid uncharacteristically let a single goal lead slip at home to Valencia when Parejo plundered an 82nd minute equaliser to share the spoils and cause fear and trepidation as the home players returned to the dressing rooms to bask in the warm glow of El Cholo’s love and understanding.
Down amongst the dead men, the trials and tribulations of Leganés continue with a 2-0 defeat to Getafe. Tip of the hat for Saturday’s encounters has to go – again – to Granada. Domingos Duarte netted ahead of the break to deliver a single goal victory over Osasuna. It was only the Pamplona club’s second defeat of the term. It’s a fact that adds more lustre to the achievements of Diego Martínez and his squad. With around a quarter of the season now completed, and Granada in third place, it may be time to stop thinking about their performances and results as some early season fluke. Perhaps. Watch this space.
In Sunday’s games, Real Sociedad sought to breathe a little life into their insipid challenge for the tile, or at least a Champions League spot, overcoming Betis 3-1, despite going behind to an early goal. Espanyol’s troubling form persists. A single goal home defeat to Villareal suggested that the season could prove to be a long struggle for David Gallego’s squad. Well, for as long as he remains in post anyway.
In contrast to La Real’s victory, Basque neighbours, Athletic Club struggled to a disappointing 1-1 home draw with Real Valladolid.
The ever present Iñaki Williams had put the home team ahead, but a single goal lead is always slender, and that old adage was exposed when an own goal by defender Iñigo Martínez saw the victory slip away. The day’s final fixture Sevilla regained a little momentum in their challenge, although the performance and victory by a late De Jong goal was hardly convincing.
A while ago, it looked like Lopetegui’s team were merely looking to settle in a new group of players, but you can only be the new kids on the block for so long, before a somewhat stumbling start begins to look more like a true reflection of the team’s worth.
The upcoming Matchday offers up some interesting contests. On current form, Granada should account for Real Betis and solidify their exalted position. If they do so, with the Barcelona v Real Madrid fixture increasingly likely to be delayed, the Estadio Nuevo Los
Cármenes could be celebrating a table-topping achievement. Hands up anyone who saw that coming before the season started? Nope, me neither.
Sevilla will look to close the gap on the big two with a home win over Getafe. Travelling to Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad will have a similar intent and, although it could be a bit of a battle, I fancy the San Sebastian club to come away with the three points.
At the Wanda Metropolitano, Atlético Madrid will want to return to winning ways to put a smile – well at least less of a scowl – on Simeone’s face by overcoming Athletic Club.
At the foot of the table, here’s a head above the parapet prediction, despite their win over Real Madrid on the previous Matchday, I fancy Leganés to overcome Los Blancos’ conquerors, Real Mallorca. You now why? Because football, especially in La Liga, is just like that. Let’s see how all that works out shall we? With a double Matchday coming up over the following week, it could be all change in the table. Then again though, when isn’t it. Hasta Luego!