While most of the top clubs and players in Europe have their feet up, relaxing after a long, hard season (or in the case of some of the South American players, preparing for the Copa America), the action in La Liga takes centre stage with a title race almost certain to go down to the wire. As in Germany, Holland and Portugal, where the destination of the title was not decided until the final whistle of the season, Spain’s two biggest football giants will experience a similar fate.After 36 games, nothing separates Real Madrid and Barcelona. Both teams stand with 72pts, the difference being the routes taken to get there. Real Madrid hold the advantage in the aggregate score over the season against Barcelona (They won 2-0 at home and drew 3-3 away), which means that the title is presently theirs to lose. Two wins in their final games away to Real Zaragoza and at home to Mallorca will be enough to secure their 30th La Liga title.
The title is likely to be won and lost this weekend at La Romareda, home to Real Zaragoza. In recent years, Villareal have been labelled a mini version of a South American club, or specifically an Argentine one, due to the number of players on their books from Argentina. Still boasting a heavy South American flavour, although not necessarily an Argentinian one, that mantle has been passed to Zaragoza, boasting the Milito brothers (Gabriel and Diego), as well as Pablo Aimar and Andres D’Alessandro. As with Villareal, the South American influence does not stop at Argentina, Carlos Diogo (Uruguay), Gustavo Nery and Ewerthon (both Brazil) have also contributed to Zaragoza’s campaign.
Barcelona are facing Espanyol (deflated from defeat in the Uefa Cup final) and Gimnastic (already relegated) in their final games, and they will be expected to recoup maximum points. This means that Real Madrid will have to do the same and the upcoming clash at Zaragoza holds the key to the title race. Real Madrid end the season at home to Mallorca, and no one will expect them to spoil the Madrid party should Los Blancos return from Zaragoza with three points.
An away win at Zaragoza has proven very hard to come by this season. Incidentally, Zaragoza have been a different team home and away. At home they have taken 40 of their 58 points this season. Only Osasuna and Valencia have won at La Romareda this season, both of those defeats were suffered in December. Zaragoza remain unbeaten at home in La Liga in 2007, spanning 10 matches (winning 7 of them).
It won’t just be pride that Zaragoza will be playing for, which makes the task much more difficult for Real Madrid. Along with Real’s Madrid rivals, Atletico, and Villareal, Zaragoza are marginally ahead in a three way battle for the two remaining Uefa Cup spots for the 2007/2008 season. Earlier in the season, Real Madrid recorded a 1-0 home win over Zaragoza, but more goals are likely in this encounter. The match features two of the best strikers in La Liga this season, Diego Milito (20 league goals) and Ruud Van Nistelrooy (23 league goals).
For much of the season, Real Madrid have performed better away from home than at home. Playing with a certain degree of caution and conservatism under Fabio Capello, Real have been a far cry from the recent team of ‘Galacticos’, featuring, Zidane, Figo and Ronaldo. Van Nistelrooy has carried the goal scoring burden very well on his shoulders while Raul has flirted with glimpses of the past form that many Real fans choose to remember him by. Gonzalo Higuain, a January signing from River Plate, has often been played out of position, and while working manfully for the side he has not been able to assist Van Nistelrooy in the scoring stakes to release some of the pressure on the Dutchmen. Despite scoring only twice, Higuain chose a perfect moment to score his first goal at the Bernabeu, the winning goal in a 4-3 victory over Espanyol in the dying moments. His first goal came away at Atletico in the Madrid derby, a 1-1 draw.
Real’s largely conservative approach has seen them record a remarkably balanced set of results home and away. 37 of their 72 points have come at home, with the remaining 35 away from home. Speculation still surrounds the future of Fabio Capello, and it may well be a case of déjà vu should he lead Real to the La Liga title. Capello coached Real Madrid to the title in 1996/97, but was not there the following season, and at various stages of the current campaign it has been debateable as to whether Capello would even last the entire season. However, lasted he has and should he leave with another title under his belt, his message to the critics is loud and clear. Capello received heavy criticism for discarding the services of David Beckham once Beckham had announced that he would be leaving the club for MLS (in the USA) at the end of the season. Indifferent results and player pressure resulted in Capello introducing Beckham back into the fold, and his contributions have been telling, providing the kind of service that Van Nistelrooy thrives on.
Once again, Iker Casillas in goal has been a saviour for Real on many occasions. Still only 26 years old, the Spaniard has a very long career ahead of him, and is already in the discussion as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Casillas and Van Nistelrooy are likely to be pivotal for Real this weekend at either end of the pitch.
Since drawing 3-3 away at Barcelona in mid-March, Real Madrid have won 9 of 10 games, a run which has enabled them to sit on top of the table. The shackles appear to have been broken on the attacking front too, with the side scoring 13 goals in just 4 games during May. Real Madrid could be credited for timing their charge to the title perfectly, as Barcelona have been unable to consistently hit the heights that saw them win both La Liga and the Champions League last season.
Barcelona entered the season as favourites to retain La Liga and the Champions League, but lie in danger of winning nothing from a campaign which promised so much. Away from La Liga, they were beaten comfortably by Sevilla for the European Super Cup. The Catalans were again held scoreless in the final of the World Club Championship, losing 1-0 to last year’s Copa Libertadores champions from Brazil, Internacional. Their fortunes in the Copa del Rey were no better. Winning the first leg of their semi-final 5-2 against Getafe, including a Diego Maradona-like goal from Lionel Messi, the Catalans looked well on course to reach the final. However, a shocking and heartless display saw them crushed 4-0 in the return leg and dumped out of the competition. In pursuit of retaining their Champions League crown, Barcelona were constantly a step behind the form they had shown the previous season. Injuries to Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi did not help matters and Barcelona were left needing victory on the last match day of the group section to qualify for the latter stages. Victory over Werder Bremen was secured, but Barcelona were soon to fall. A 2-1 home defeat to Liverpool in the knock out stages presented them with an uphill challenge in the away leg, and although Barcelona were able to record a 1-0 victory this was not enough tom keep them in the competition.
Their failures in cup competitions aside, Barcelona have been dealing with a varying amount of dressing room unrest. Just how deep rooted and significant the problems are between the players is open to conjecture. However, what is not in doubt is the very public falling out between Samuel Eto’o, Ronaldinho and coach, Frank Rijkaard. Refusing to come on as a substitute in a dispute with Rijkaard, the Cameroon forward was labelled selfish by Ronaldinho, and Eto’o defended himself and attacked Ronaldinho in similar form.
Barcelona’s league form has been much like their cup exploits. They have at times proved to be a class or two above their opponents, only to then in turn hurt themselves with chaotic and uncertain defending, as well as a lack of ruthlessness when it comes to killing off games.
In contrast to Real Madrid, who have performed consistently well both at home and away, Barcelona’s title charge has relied heavily on an outstanding home record. Barcelona remain unbeaten at Camp Nou, taking 46pts at home, including 14 wins and 4 draws, with their last home game of the season approaching this weekend against Espanyol. Coincidently, Barcelona have scored and conceaded the same amount of goals away from home that Real Madrid have (32 goals for, 20 goals against), but Real Madrid have garnered 9pts more on their travels.
It will be a great surprise if Barcelona are unable to take maximum points from their remaining games, but unless Real Madrid slip up in the process this still won’t be enough. Barcelona will end their home campaign this season without the services of Ronaldinho. The Brazilian was sent off in a 1-0 home win over Getafe but will be available for the last match of the season, away at Gimnastic. Cushioning the blow of Ronaldinho’s absence is the form of Argentine starlet Lionel Messi. Since scoring a stunning hat-trick in a 3-3 draw with Real Madrid, Messi has scored (including that encounter) 7 goals in 11 matches and provided a number of assists in addition to his scoring feats.
Unless Zaragoza can stop Real Madrid on Saturday, Barcelona’s failure to concentrate in the last seconds against Real Betis is something they well be left to rue. Barcelona led 1-0 until a quickly taken free kick caught them sleeping, allowing Rafael Sobis to beat Victor Valdes at his near post. Among a host of dropped points over the course of the season, the Betis match could well be where the championship was lost for Barcelona. With Sobis being another South American product in La Liga, Barcelona will be relying on Zaragoza’s South American contingent to provide them with a similar gift in return.
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