Living in strange times
SEEING Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga table is anything but unusual, and yet, as we edge to hopefully more normal times and have an end to the pandemic in sight, peer below the surface of the league in recent weeks and things are a little less than would be expected. For example, although Los Blancos head the table, four points clear and look well set to reclaim the league title from cross city rivals Atlético Madrid, a review of their recent form is anything but impressive.
In their last five league encounters, Ancelotti’s team has only won twice, with the 4-1 victory over Valencia, the only one that could be considered to be comfortable. The only other win was away to Athletic Club, by 2-1.
In amongst those wins was a goalless draw at home to Cádiz, the humbling defeat to neighbours Getafe, and last weekend’s struggle to earn a point against Elche. Looking at those last three opponents, there’s a noticeable common thread – they’re all in the bottom halfdozen of clubs fighting against relegation. Throw in the struggle Real Madrid had to overcome a plucky Elche performance in the Copa del Rey, wherein my local boys gave the aristocrats of Spanish football all the trouble they could handle and, 10 minutes into the first period of extra time, were leading 1-0 with Los Blancos down to 10 men after having Marcelo correctly dismissed for what is termed these days as a ‘professional foul’. Given the closeness of that particular encounter, despite Real Madrid fighting back to win 1-2, when Elche found themselves 0-2 ahead at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, with just eight minutes of the scheduled 90 to play, a measure of revenge, not to mention three valuable points, looked on the cards. And so it was, until a Luka Modric penalty and then a last gasp equaliser by Éder Militão two minutes into injury time, turned those three potential points into just one. For a club with Real Madrid’s ambitions, the last few games have developed into a worrying trend. It’s the sort of run of form that could, and probably normally does, see a team drop down the table. So, why hasn’t that happened?
The simple answer to that question seems to be that all of Los Blancos’s rivals for the title also seem intent on tripping over their own feet as well. Just as a chance opened up for Lopetegui’s Sevilla, sitting in second place, they fluffed their lines. Three of their last five league games have ended in draws with Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo being particularly galling. Had they won that game, which league position suggests was the most likely outcome, the gap to the leaders would have been down to just two points, with plenty of games to come. Instead, at the break, with their coach absent with Covid, Celta were enjoying another Andalucían away day to match against their 0-2 win over Real Betis a few weeks ago, and were ahead by the same score. As with Los Blancos, Sevilla did fight back with two late goals to earn a point, but it was surely a chance scorned.
A lack of consistent form though isn’t limited to the top two. Reigning champions Atlético Madrid have also been struggling for any kind of decent performances. Now, no less than 14 points astray from the club most likely to take their crown, the situation could have been even bleaker if they too hadn’t hit the comeback trail after trailing by two goals. Strikes by Yunus Musah after 24 minutes and Hugo Duro just ahead of the break had visiting Valencia in control.
Doubtless the wall paintstripping violence of El Cholo’s half-time ‘encouragement’ persuaded his team to rally however, but inside the 89th minute, they were still losing 1-2 after Matheus Cunha had cut the deficit. As would be the case with their cross-city rivals the following day though, it was a late, late show ending that decided the points at the Wanda Metropolitano. First Correa equalised in the last seconds of scheduled the 90 minutes, before Mario Hermoso netted the winner two minutes into injury time.
It seems to be a league that nobody wants to win, certainly not of late anyway. In fact, of the top six clubs, only one has won more than twice in their last five games. It’s actually crisis-hit
club Barcelona. Despite all the travails and traumas that the Cules have experienced this season, Xavi’s team have been quietly climbing up the table in a very un-Barcelona discrete and unassuming way. The weekend’s win at Alavés, thanks to an 87th minute goal by Frenkie de Jong, took the Blaugrana up to fifth position in the league, and just a single point away from gatecrashing the top four. With the form of the other clubs above fluctuating between mediocre and unimpressive, seeing Xavi raise his team from the ashes of financial meltdown and the loss of Messi into a Champions League qualification position now looks distinctly possible. Strange times.
Talking of strange times, the international break across the coming weekend seems a weird thing to tolerate given the compressed league season, the damage that Covid has inflicted on the game and the fact that no European national teams are playing, and games only taking place under the various AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and CONCACAF confederations, there’ll be plenty of time for LaLiga coaches to reflect on matters as what is, in effect, largely a second mid-season break occurs. It will however allow a little more time to draw a focus on the Copa del Rey matches that will be played the following week. On Tuesday, February 2, Rayo Vallecano take on Mallorca and Valencia face Cádiz. The following day, Real Sociedad entertain Real Betis and Athletic Club are at home to Real Madrid. If the Basques can do what Elche came so close to achieving, and eliminate Real Madrid at the San Mamés, there could be an unexpected name on the trophy when the final is played out at the end of the season. It could happen you know. We are living in strange times.
¡Hasta la próxima semana!