At a glance
- Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw to Real Betis has changed the panoramic at the La Liga summit.
- Ahead of Getafe, FC Barcelona are eight points clear and can make that 11 by winning where they haven’t since September 2019.
- Culers dream of Los Blancos having to give their team a guard of honour in El Clasico as champions.
La Masia struck a dagger into Real Madrid’s side in Seville on Friday night when Hector Bellerin stole a point for Real Betis against the club from the capital.
The 1-1 draw for Alvaro Arbeloa’s men means they are now eight points behind the Catalans in La Liga. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that a Barca win at Getafe makes that 11 then, before the weekend is out.
Yet Flick’s troops haven’t achieved that at the Coliseum since September 2019, and they’ll attempt to do it without injured wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.
When can Barcelona seal the title
With all due respect to upcoming foes, it looks like a case of when and not if Barcelona will clinch their second consecutive Spanish championship in the Flick era, and a third in four years.
Many Culers want to seal the crown in El Clasico at the Spotify Camp Nou on May 10, or even before that in order for Madrid to give the champions a humiliating pasillo guard of honour before kick off.
If Barca and Madrid both win their matches before the Clasico, the difference will remain 11 points. The home team would then only need a win or a draw to complete a domestic double, though a party-pooping Madrid win keeps their chances alive.
To already be champions beforehand though and guarantee that pasillo – that’s if Madrid wants to perform it – Barca need 13 points more than their arch nemesis.
That sees the Blaugrana needing to win against Getafe and Osasuna, and then hope Espanyol do them a rare favour by beating Madrid in the RCDE Stadium – which they did last term by a slight 1-0 margin.
Given Barca confirmed their last two La Liga trophies at their ground, however, do the Pericos really want to help out like that? Their slim hopes of qualifying for Europe from 12th place might suggest so.
