Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford could potentially face off in May when Real Madrid visits Barcelona.
The La Liga landscape experienced a significant shift last weekend, as a title race previously dominated by Barcelona was once again thrown wide open.
Here’s a breakdown of the events that led to this change.
Upon La Liga’s resumption in January, Barcelona held the top spot with 46 points, a four-point advantage over Real Madrid.
The Catalan side demonstrated impressive form, securing two victories, including a comfortable league win against Espanyol, and earning a place in the Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.
Real Madrid also showcased a strong start to the second half of the season, commencing with a convincing 5–1 triumph over Real Betis and also securing their spot in the Super Cup final against Barcelona.
However, that particular match proved to be a crucial turning point.
Los Blancos suffered a 3–2 defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals, which ultimately led to Xabi Alonso’s resignation as Real Madrid’s manager the following day.
In response, Real Madrid appointed Alvaro Arbeloa, the reserve-team coach. As a distinguished former player with a deep understanding of the club, he stepped into the managerial role with the aim of restoring confidence and stability after the Super Cup setback.
His tenure began with a challenging start. The team’s Copa del Rey last-16 tie against Albacete, who were positioned 17th in Spain’s second division, was anticipated to be a straightforward victory.
However, Real Madrid lost 3–2, prompting captain Dani Carvajal to concede that the squad had reached “rock bottom”.
The Madridistas expressed doubts regarding Arbeloa’s appointment, while Barcelona’s supporters celebrated their rivals’ disarray.
Meanwhile, Barcelona navigated a tricky tie against Racing Santander to advance to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, maintaining their perfect record in the second half of the season with four wins from four matches and an impressive 12 goals scored.
Nevertheless, another twist awaited in Barcelona’s subsequent league fixture against Real Sociedad, who were ranked ninth.
Prior to the game, manager Hansi Flick expressed his desire to “continue our run and show our fans the same spirit as last season”.
However, Barcelona’s 11-match winning streak across all competitions was brought to an end as the hosts defeated them 2-1 for the second consecutive season.
“I’m disappointed because we played a very good game,” Flick stated. “There are days when you put a lot of energy in and in the end you are not lucky. We deserved to win, but that’s football.”
The preceding day, Real Madrid had secured a 2–0 victory against bottom-of-the-table Levante.
The victory occurred amidst a hostile atmosphere at the Bernabeu, where supporters openly voiced their disapproval of recent performances, as Real Madrid narrowed Barcelona’s lead at the top to a single point.
Starting with Real Madrid.
Arbeloa characterized Tuesday’s 6-1 Champions League victory over Monaco as a “turning point”.
“It’s a night where the Bernabeu has shown that when it’s behind its team, when the Bernabeu is on our side, we are a truly great team,” he affirmed.
“I’m delighted with the players’ desire to help the team. They’ve shown me that from day one.”
This performance has undoubtedly boosted the confidence of the manager, players, and supporters alike. As Real Madrid prepares for a Saturday away match against third-placed Villarreal, Arbeloa acknowledges the significance of each game.
“Tomorrow’s match is very important because of what it means, because of the opposition and because of three points that would give us a lot of confidence,” Arbeloa explained.
“It’s one of the toughest games we have in the league. We know that we’ll have to be at our best and play at a very high level if we want to get the three points.”
Barcelona also enters the weekend buoyed by a Champions League victory, having defeated Slavia Prague 4–2. They are set to face bottom-of-the-table Oviedo.
The next encounter between Real Madrid and Barcelona is scheduled for May, a match that could potentially prove decisive in the title race.
Real Madrid emerged victorious in the first Clasico of the season, securing a 2–1 win in Madrid in October.
If the previous season is any indication, the title race is likely to remain unpredictable.
At the same stage last year, Real Madrid held a six-point lead over Barcelona, only for the Catalans to overturn the deficit and ultimately claim the league title.
Once again, there is everything to play for.
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