Let’s review the latest round of action in the Spanish top flight AND look ahead to tonight’s Copa Del Rey clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona – the fourth time they’ve met in El Clásico already this year.
By Ben Hayward, LaLiga expert
Barça still 12 clear ahead of the Clásico
Barcelona have won their last three matches against Real Madrid and warmed up for today’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg at Camp Nou by beating bottom club Elche in LaLiga on Saturday.
Robert Lewandowski scored twice, his first goals since February, while there were also morale-boosting strikes for two players who have struggled in recent times: Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres.
The 4-0 win ensured Barça stayed 12 points clear at the top of the table, while Elche remain rooted to the bottom of LaLiga with just 13 picked up all season.
Gavi played for 68 minutes and Elche have launched an appeal against his selection, according to Cadena COPE, believing that the midfielder was ineligible after his contract renewal was not registered by LaLiga due to the competition’s financial regulations.
It seems unlikely that Barcelona will be docked points, but the Catalans have a big advantage anyway,
Barça have a 1-0 lead going into the second leg of their Copa semi-final, but Xavi said on Tuesday that he still sees Madrid as favourites.
“I have the feeling that, when we play over two legs against Real Madrid, it’s really difficult,” he said. “How long has it been since they lost over two legs? That’s why I still think they are favourites, despite the scoreline. The pressure is on them.”
Real Madrid need a reaction against Barcelona
In a way, Xavi is right. While Barcelona are on for a domestic treble, having won the Supercopa in January and all but wrapped up LaLiga, Real Madrid’s hopes of ending the season with a major trophy are diminishing.
Los Blancos are still in the Champions League, of course, but face a tough route to the trophy with either Bayern Munich or Manchester City in wait if they make it past Chelsea in the quarter-finals.
That leaves the Copa del Rey, a trophy Real have not won since 2014. Coach Carlo Ancelotti surely needs to win either the Copa or the Champions League to extend his second spell to a third season in charge, and there is pressure on Los Blancos to beat Barcelona after three straight defeats in El Clásico.
Madrid thrashed Real Valladolid 6-0 in LaLiga at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday and they were boosted by a timely return to form for striker Karim Benzema, who hit a hat-trick in six and a half minutes late in the opening period.
Rodrygo, Marco Asensio and Lucas Vázquez were also on target in a big win for Los Blancos, the latter on his 300th appearance for the club.
Real have been narrowly beaten in each of the last two Clásico clashes: a 1-0 defeat at home in the first leg of the Copa and a 2-1 loss in added time at Camp Nou.
“We want to play a complete match,” Ancelotti said in his pre-match press conference. “I don’t think we did too badly in the last two, but tomorrow it’s our turn to win.”
Correa’s wonder goal keeps Atlético run going
Atlético Madrid looked like they might be frustrated at home to Real Betis on Sunday, but Ángel Correa claimed all three points for the Rojiblancos with a wonderful winner after 86 minutes.
The Argentine attacker, who replaced Thomas Lemar just short of the hour mark, beat several Betis defenders with some sublime skill before finishing past goalkeeper Rui Silva to make a spectacular late breakthrough at the Metropolitano.
“We needed something different against Betis’ low block and Correa has that,” coach Diego Simene said. “He always wants the ball, he’s always participating. He had the cool head we always see in training.”
The win keeps Atlético in third as their fine form continues, five points adrift of Real Madrid but six ahead of fourth-placed Real Sociedad, beaten 2-0 by Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine are still sixth, just a point behind Betis now.
Valencia still in trouble
Valencia are out of the bottom three on goal difference after their 1-1 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano on Monday night, but the Mestalla-based club are level on points with Espanyol (18th) and Almería (19th) with 11 rounds remaining. Espanyol were beaten 2-1 by Girona and have since parted company with coach Diego Martínez, with former midfielder Luis García now in charge.
Sevilla won 2-0 at Cádiz and climb to 13th, but the Andalusians are still just four points clear of the drop zone. It was a win for new coach José Luis Mendilibar in his first game in charge and a first away from home for the club in almost six months.
Getafe, Cádiz and Valladolid are all still in danger, but Celta Vigo are up to 10th after picking up seven points from the last nine available. They face Sevilla next at the Sánchez Pizjuán.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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