What a time to be alive at the top of La Liga. Barcelona have failed to win for the third time in a row, losing to Real Sociedad 1-0. Real Madrid won 4-0 at Eibar (and JAMES RODRIGUEEEEEEZZZZZ had a dope opener) despite the s***show that was their midweek loss to Wolfsburg. And Atletico Madrid just keep on Atletico-ing, winning 3-1 at Espanyol.
Barcelona have just entered their longest domestic winless streak in the era of Luis Enrique. It’s only three games, but such is the standard they have set for themselves. They will get Luis Suarez back next game — he was suspended for the Sociedad game because of a yellow picked up in El Clasico — but those interested in drama should hope it will take more than the return of the Uruguayan to set Barcelona straight.
Barcelona still sits in first place with 76 points. Atletico Madrid has 73 points and Real Madrid has 72. Barcelona faces neither of the latter two during its remaining six La Liga games, so it will need to lose again in order to give Atletico Madrid a shot at the title, and yet again in order to give Real Madrid a shot.
Last week, Real Madrid winger and Clasico winner Gareth Bale said that a couple of results in favor of Madrid and against Barcelona could throw the LA Liga title race wide open. Those results have happened, but they need to keep on happening.
Barcelona are undoubtedly still the favorites to win the league, and it will be very interesting to see how they respond to adversity. Them going winless in three league games is a big deal, especially since head coach Luis Enrique identified the game against Real Sociedad as their toughest away game of the year; they were told what was coming, and they still lost.
Luis Enrique knew what Barca were up against, but his team did not take advantage of his warnings. Photo: @SkyFootball | Twitter
Furthermore, they face a tough test in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid. They take a 2-1 advantage into the second leg of that quarterfinal tie, and the one goal against them is an away goal. Atletico Madrid only need to score one goal and hold Barcelona scoreless in order to progress, a result that is their specialty.
Barcelona is in danger of reproducing what happened to Real Madrid last year. Through the 2014/15 winter break, Real Madrid were hands down the best team in the world (22-game win streak, people) and Barcelona had yet to reach their highest level. Months later the roles had switched: Real Madrid won nothing and Barcelona won the Treble. If they lose their confidence now, Barcelona could be on the wrong end of a similar deal this season.
It’s time to play the game and find out who really deserves to win Spain, progress in the Champions League and maybe, just maybe, go down as one of the best teams in the history of football.
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