A possible victory for Real Madrid on the mattress box could benefit the Catalan team
MADRID – In the endless series of rematches of recent times, the League derby between the Atlético de Madrid and the Real Madrid in the Metropolitano, which seeks the answer to a few questions, but above all proposes the most penetrating question of all: Is there a competition?
And is that Atlético de Madrid, with 58 points, Barca At 56 and Real at 53, they are living their most hectic battle for the LaLiga title in recent years.
Ironically, the merengue victory would help the Blaugranas, who would remain two units of the rojiblanco box. But on the other side would reach Madrid BarcelonaWhat a dilemma.
Right now the dots say yes. That there are now only five advantages in between Athletic, the unattainable leader for the past 13 days, and his pursuers reaffirm this assumption, but move it to what happens in the Sunday derby, with a much more decisive appearance for the Real Madrid, visibly depressed.
The win is almost an obligation for the white squad, weakened in their stalking Atlético by the 1-1 last Monday against Real Sociedad, but still alive in the title battle while Zinedine Zidane recovers Karim Benzema, his most overcrowded footballer and his best goalscorer of the past two days.
For him Athletic, which remains on top regardless of the score, is an endurance test … And one opportunity: a win would be income over the Real Madrid to eight points, which could be eleven if he wins his postponed game with Athletic on Wednesday, but on top of that, it would be a blow of authority to his leadership once he is chased the same distance by Barcelona.
No one has clouded that much this season Diego Simeone like Real Madrid in the first round (2-0), when the high pressure designed by Zidane devoured a team that hitherto seemed invincible in the league, but which has lowered its football level, defensive solvency and its stroke after that defeat. In addition, they have not won a league game in five or nine games: four losses and five draws since 0-1 in 2015-16.
Atlético needs the goals of Luis Suarez, got stuck in the last four games in the 16 scored in his first 17 games or in the eleven he had scored in the nine games prior to the current drought. There is a certain dependence on the Uruguayan ‘9’. He was 42 percent of the goals scored since the 2-0 derby.
You also have the best version of Jan Oblak, rediscovered unbeaten after eight official games, and the defensive strength that has always characterized him, no doubt due to improper vulnerability throughout the Simeone era: he conceded eleven goals in the last nine games; ten in eight specific matches in the competition.
In contrast, the derby is presented as a new final for Real Madrid in a season with more than a moment on the brink of collapse. From the dream of leadership to the obligation to win the leader. While Zidane is committed to subtracting significance, ensuring that no matter what happens, they will “always live in the League,” the distance of points in any result other than victory would be an impossible record to lift, except for the unexpected collapse of the leader.
With the important absences in defense of Sergio Ramos Y Dani carvajal plus Eden Hazard and Mariano Díaz on the attack, Zidane must decide his eleven based on the draw he is betting on. He arrives at the appointment after a mess for retouching and placing Casemiro in third center after the break against Real.
History is just numbers in the big games, but it favors the Real Madrid in the last matches against Atlético de Madrid in the competition. Nine derbies without being defeated, five years since February 27, 2016. None of that applies to Zidane, who has repeated “good football” too often. Only from there can your team emerge victorious and regain options to defend the league crown.