It was a weekend of contrasting results for Spain’s big three – we round up all of that, plus the rest of the main talking points from around the league, as Round 12 comes to a close.
By Ben Hayward, LaLiga expert
The numbers support Barça’s title chase
Barcelona may be out of the Champions League, but the Blaugrana are very much in the fight for LaLiga. Xavi’s side lost 3-0 at home to Bayern Munich last Tuesday, having known when they kicked off at Camp Nou that they were already out of the competition after Inter beat Viktoria Plzeň in Group C. But they picked themselves up in a tough fixture away to Valencia on Saturday night to claim a vital win thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s strike in added time.
Both Barça and Valencia had efforts ruled out in the game at Mestalla, which seemed set to be heading for a stalemate until Lewandowski stuck out a boot to divert a delightful Raphinha pass into the net. It was another big win for the Blaugrana and another clean sheet – a 10th in just 12 LaLiga games.
“We played with anxiety,” Xavi said after the game. “Our Champions League elimination affected us.” But it was the result that mattered most. “It’s very important for the team,” the coach added. “They deserved it. We go to sleep tonight as leaders. We want to finish games well and put pressure on Real Madrid.”
That they did. Barça’s win saw them move above Los Blancos on goal difference ahead of the champions’ game against Girona on Sunday and their form in LaLiga remains strong. “We have improved a lot,” Xavi said. “We’re on the right track.”
The numbers back that up. Xavi arrived at Barça as coach last November and has now taken charge of 38 LaLiga games – which is the equivalent of a full campaign – across two seasons. In that time, his record reads: 38 games, 27 wins, six draws, five defeats, 87 points. Incidentally, Real Madrid claimed LaLiga last season with 86 points and 87 was the number won by Pep Guardiola – Barça’s most successful coach – in his debut campaign at Camp Nou.
Madrid stumble at the Bernabéu
Real Madrid missed the chance to move three points clear of Barça at the top of the table as they were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw at home to promoted side Girona on Sunday. After both sides had hit the woodwork in the first half, Vinícius Júnior slid in to give Los Blancos the lead following a Fede Valverde cross in the 70th minute. But the Catalans came back into the game following a contentious penalty award nine minutes later, when Marco Asensio was penalised for handball following a VAR check and the dependable Cristhian Stuani converted from the spot. There was still time for more late drama too as Rodrygo had what he thought was the winner ruled out for a foul on Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga and Toni Kroos was sent off for a second bookable offence.
“I don’t like speaking about these things,” Ancelotti said after the game. But he did anyway – and at some length. “The first situation is quite clear: it’s not a penalty because he doesn’t touch the ball with his hand.” And he added: “They invented it.” Asensio also complained on social media and Madrid can consider themselves unfortunate as the ball hit him on the chest first. His arm was indeed in an unnatural position, but at such speed, he had no time to move it and replays do not definitively show the ball hitting his arm anyway.
Ancelotti said he accepted the second decision, with Rodrygo penalised for kicking the ball from under Gazzaniga’s grasp, but continued to vent his frustration at the penalty call and his comments are being investigated by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Whether the decisions were right or wrong, the truth is that Madrid were well below their best. And they should be beating Girona at home. They did not and now lead LaLiga by a sole point from Barcelona. It is close at the top and this was another match when the lack of an adequate substitute for Karim Benzema – who was missing due to muscle fatigue – ended up costing Los Blancos.
Atlético’s week from hell
Atlético Madrid have endured perhaps their worst week in almost 11 years under Diego Simeone. The Rojiblancos were knocked out of the Champions League after a 2-2 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday as Yannick Carrasco missed a penalty in the ninth minute of added time at the Metropolitano. Had he scored it, his team would be playing for a place in the last 16 at Porto tonight. And on Saturday, Atleti were beaten 3-2 following a late Cadíz goal – in the 99th minute again.
Atlético had conceded inside 30 seconds against Cadíz and went 2-0 down late in the game. Substitute João Félix then looked to have rescued an unlikely point with two quick strikes as his acrobatic effort was deflected in by Cadíz defender Luis Hernández and he blasted in another shot from distance to make it 2-2 in the closing stages. But Simeone could only watch on in frustration and applaud as Rubén Sobrino scored the winner in the dying embers of the game as the ball bounced off his thigh and in at the far post in the ninth minute of added time (when eight had been added).
It was cruel on Atlético. “It was another blow after what happened on Wednesday,” Simeone said after the game. “We have to be stronger, more level-headed, stay calm and read the game better. It’s a learning experience and there is no time to stop learning.”
Atlético remain third, but are nine points behind leaders Real Madrid in LaLiga and could find themselves out of Europe altogether if Bayer Leverkusen (at home to Club Brugge) better their result at Porto. “We have to insist on the mental aspect,” Simeone said. “Right now it’s as if everything is going to end tomorrow, but there’s a long way to go in LaLiga and we can still get into the Europa League. So we need to stay calm because at the moment that quota of luck which is needed is not favouring us.”
In another piece of bad fortune, Atlético lost Álvaro Morata to injury on Saturday, although the Spain striker is expected to be fit in time for the World Cup.
Round-up
Real Betis left it late to beat Real Sociedad in San Sebastián. Juan Cruz gave Manuel Pellegrini’s side the lead in an entertaining encounter at Anoeta as he fired in from just inside the box after 86 minutes and with the home side committing men in search of an equaliser, Borja Iglesia added a second following a quick counter-attack in added time. Betis are back in fourth and look like strong contenders for the final Champions League place behind Madrid, Barça and Atleti.
Athletic Club might have something to say about that, though. The Basque side edged out Villarreal at San Mames thanks to an Iñaki Williams goal just inside the hour as Ernesto Valverde got the better of Quique Setien in a meeting of two former Barcelona coaches in Bilbao, the latter in his first game since taking over from Aston Villa-bound Unai Emery last week. Athletic are sixth, a point behind Basque rivals Real Sociedad. Villarreal are eighth.
Sevilla finished fourth last season, but the Andalusians are still struggling this term. Jorge Sampaoli has returned as coach following the sacking of Julen Lopetegui and the Argentine appeared initially to be bringing about an upturn in fortunes. However, a 1-0 defeat at home to Rayo Vallecano means Sevilla have picked up just one point from their last three matches and they are back in the drop zone after 12 rounds of LaLiga. Looks like it was the squad planning that was the real problem at the Sánchez Pizjuan.
At the very bottom, Elche are really struggling. Monday’s 1-0 loss at home to Getafe was an eighth defeat in 12 LaLiga games for the team in white and green and the other four were draws. With just four points, Elche are six behind Cadíz, Sevilla and Girona – and they have already changed their coach once this season. It is a long way back from here.
(Images from IMAGO)
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