Real Madrid is, for the moment, the big winner of this day of LaLiga Santander. The white team successfully beat Eibar at the Di Stéfano (2-0) and saw how Atlético de Madrid fell at the Sevilla stadium (1-0), which produced a three-point cut in the red-and-white income compared to the eternal rival; from six points becomes three. It remains to be seen what Barcelona does this Monday against Valladolid at the Camp Nou; Depending on what happens in Barcelona, the Madrid party can be shared or complete.
In any case, the puncture of Atleti in Seville gives Madrid a morale boost in its aspirations to compete for the league title. Nine days from the end of the championship, the white dressing room is confident that they will have their chance if they do not slow down. Whatever Barcelona does, Madrid knows that it depends on itself to finish above the Catalans: if they beat Valladolid, they will put two points above the whites one week before the Classic (Saturday 10 at Di Stéfano) . A Madrid victory would make him pass Barça by one point; if he fails to win, a draw may not be bad, considering the 1-3 of the first leg, so the particular goal-average would be assigned to Madrid, giving it the title in the event of a tie.
The goal-average, key
That particular goal-average is especially important in the case of Atlético: Madrid took the Di Stéfano derby 2-0 and achieved a draw in the final minutes in the Metropolitan (1-1); That point that then knew little by little now becomes vital, Madrid only need a red-and-white defeat and a victory of their own to even things out and, thanks to the goal-average, put themselves above. Everything, of course, pending that Madrid continue to do things well in the League, which seems difficult with the Champions League in between (this week the first leg against Liverpool; the next, the return at Anfield); the trend, for the moment, is good, with three consecutive victories and no losses in the league since January 30.
In fact, the next day of the League will be vital to measure those options: Madrid have the Clásico against Barcelona and Atleti will play again in Seville, in this case against Betis, one of the revelations of this second leg of the season; He will also do it without Suárez or Llorente, his offensive references, both sanctioned for accumulating yellows. With the necessary results, Madrid can end Matchday 30 as the leader.
The calendar also plays
Then, it will be time to trust your own capacity and appeal to the calendar, which on paper is more affordable for Madrid. They await you after Barcelona: Cádiz, Betis, Getafe, Osasuna, Sevilla, Granada, Athletic and Villarreal. A path not without thorns, although Atleti's seems somewhat steeper: Betis, Huesca, Athletic, Eibar, Elche, Barcelona, Real Sociedad, Osasuna and Valladolid. That duel against Barcelona on matchday 35 at the Camp Nou is key, if Madrid arrives well placed it can give the final blow to the championship.
Barcelona, for its part, has ahead: Valladolid, Real Madrid, Getafe, Villarreal, Granada, Valencia, Atlético, Levante, Celta and Eibar. In the Madrid dressing room they know that Barcelona has already reached cruising speed (13 wins and three draws in their last 16 league games) and, without the Champions League, their punctures will be minimal; Everything happens to win the Classic and trust that Atlético's bump will probably continue to be the third in a race of three at the end of this day; but he still believes in this League.