Barça pay the penalty in El Clásico
NOW, here’s a stat to conjure with. Across the last 30 years, when playing as defending champions, Real Madrid have only retained the La Liga title on one occasion and, since 2007, they have never won the season’s first Clásico as defending champions. Well, that last stat is destined for the bin at least and, if Barcelona are going to be Los Blancos’ major challengers for the title this season, the first one looks likely to be blown out of the water as well.
It’s relatively rare to have one of La Liga’s biggest confrontations come so early in the season, and when they do, it’s often too soon for the result to offer any kind of firm indication about the fate of the title, but this season, that’s something else that may not apply.
Zinedine Zidane has an outstanding record when visiting the Camp Nou, both as a player and coach. When wearing the white shirt of Real Madrid, he lost only once in five visits to the Catalan capital and, as a coach, he’s now been there halfadozen times, and is yet to taste defeat. That’s some record.
The game got off to a helterskelter start with Valverde and Ansu Fati exchanging goals inside the first ten minutes, with other chances arising, and being squandered before the break in an entertaining game. If the first period was fastflowing, the second period was explosive.
Ever since the introduction of VAR, there’s been a consistent lament from other clubs – Barcelona being no exception – that the letters stand for Video Assisted Real and on the hour mark, that old chestnut came to the fore again when a tug on the shirt of Sergio Ramos was, after review, deemed sufficient to give the visitors’ skipper a chance from 12 yards. Let’s be clear about this though. There’s little doubt that his shirt was pulled, and there’s little doubt that that Ramos did all he could to emphasise that fact to the officials. The problem of course is that the same thing happens, to a greater to lesser extent at almost every cornerkick and, overwhelmingly, without sanction – and there’s the rub.
With typical efficiency, Ramos dispatched the spotkick and, from that point, Barça were struggling. It was the captain’s 100th goal for the club and Ramos is established as the bête noire for the Cules. That situation, however, may not be for much longer.
Despite a recent readers’ poll in France Football magazine placing Ramos as ' best defender of alltime' – and let’s put discussion about that inflated assessment to one side for a moment – rumours suggest a little discord between captain and club regarding a new contract.
With his current deal expiring inn the summer, the 34yearold is looking for a twoyear
contract, with the club only offering a single 12month period. It may get resolved of course but, if not, it could be Real Madrid’s turn to lament an unnecessary loss next season.
Back to the game, and Koeman had taken my advice from last week – well, not really, but he did what I thought he should do – and left the hapless Antoine Griezmann on the bench, but despite shuffling his pack later on, in search of salvation, Koeman’s Barcelona looked as ineffective and impotent as Quique Setién’s did for much of last season.
Remember when the club cast Valverde aside for an apparent lack of style last season? I said at the time that they would regret such arrogant haste, and they are now certainly repenting at leisure.
Aside from the increasingly infrequent bursts of magic from Messi and the dynamism added by Fati and new acquisition Sergiño Dest, the Blaugrana so often look bereft of inspiration.
Frenkie de Jong is struggling alongside a Sergio Busquets who looks way past his best and, with Luis Suárez exiled to Atléti – and currently equal top league goalscorer to boot – the attack looks weak.
Griezmann and Ousmane Dembélé have failed to deliver and we’re now probably seeing the gaps appearing that Messi’s magic had covered up for so long.
Of course, they could prove me wrong, but Barcelona look way off the form needed to challenge for the title.
If they do fail to muster any kind of resistance to the reigning champions, the mantle of challengers may fall to Real Sociedad. Despite losing Martin Ødegaard, as he returned to his parent club, La Real continue to prosper and Sunday evening’s 41 win over promoted Huesca took them to the top of the tree. Although, it must be said that both the champions and Granada, who won a typically battling
01 game at Getafe, are only a point astray both with a game in hand.
Tip of the hat this week must go to local heroes Elche. Their delayed start to the season prevented them celebrating a return to the top flight with a home game against Barcelona but, after losing the opening fixture 03 to La Real, they’ve strung three wins and a draw together, and a convincing 21 win over Valencia would have done wonders for the selfbelief of the club under new coach Juan José Rojo Martín.
Eibar were another of the less celebrated clubs enjoying success. The Basque club continue to confound critics and delight fans in equal measure, and the 01 win in Andalusia against Lopetegui’s Sevilla team handed the home team their second successive defeat and a reality check on their aspirations.
There’s little doubt in my mind though that this is just a temporary aberration. Sevilla remain a fine outfit and will do well this term.
Across the city, Real Betis’s early success seems a distant dream. A 20 reverse at the Wanda Metropolitano is no disgrace, but it now means that Los Verdiblancos have lost four of their last five fixtures. It’s something that Manuel Pellegrini needs to fix, and rapidly, before another season of disappointment engulfs the Estadio Benito Villamarín.
Osasuna celebrated their 100th anniversary with a 10 win over an Athletic Club team who continue to struggle and, alongside bottom club Real Valladolid, remain winless this term.
Despite the Pamplona club’s victory, the centenary celebrations were denied fanparticipation in what would otherwise surely have been a boisterous time at El Sadar.
With La Real visiting Vigo on Matchday Eight, they should maintain their lead at the head of the table, but Los Blancos will surely account for Huesca at home to keep the pressure up and Granada will fancy their chances of defeating Levante at home.
A key game however could be Barcelona’s visit to Alavés. Fail to win there and the pressure on Koeman will be ramped up. Anyone know Ernesto Valverde’s telephone number? Just asking for a worried Cule.