Can Real Madrid still win La Liga after Atletico Madrid’s draw against Sevilla? In this article, we will analyze Carlo Ancelotti’s squad and look at the Tiebreaker criterion. Can Madrid still win La Liga even after the Clasico loss? Yes, they can! It just depends on how much of the tiebreaker criterion is considered.
Can Real Madrid still win La Liga with the Clasico loss?
The Clasico result has been disappointing, but the team is not yet out of the woods. They have already beaten Paris Saint-Germain and will be facing Chelsea at the Bernabeu on Saturday. A defeat against Chelsea would not have ruined the Madrid season, but a loss without character would be embarrassing for their president. However, this is unlikely to happen. In order to avoid a relegation scrap in La Liga, Real Madrid need to win the Champions League.
It is possible that Barcelona will come back to challenge for the title, but it is unlikely. Real Madrid have yet to lose a Clasico in a row. Barcelona, for example, have a history of defending the title in the Clasico. However, they have been plagued by off-field controversies, which have strained relations between key players and the club’s board. Former Real Madrid forward Jorge Valdano claimed that the Clasico would be between two lame ducks. Zidane said the criticism has been’very harsh’.
The Clasico result was not a sign of Real Madrid’s future. While Real Madrid still have hundreds of millions of euros worth of superstars, they are no longer the team they once were. After all, the loss of the Clasico will only make them more desperate to win the league. Moreover, this loss has further depleted their credibility and confidence. With all that said, can Real Madrid still win La Liga despite the Clasico loss?
The next five games in La Liga are more difficult. After the Clasico, Real Madrid will face Barcelona, Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, and Granada. Besides these teams, Real Madrid will face Valencia, Getafe, and Villarreal at the Bernabeu. Despite the loss of the Clasico, the team has enough time to pull away from Barcelona.
In addition, the absence of key players from the Madrid team could change the picture. For example, Isco, Luka Jovic, and Eden Hazard have not played in their last five games. Even if the absence of these players were sufficient to affect the outcome, the team would be nine points ahead of Sevilla, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid. However, the loss in the Clasico might be a sign of the end of the season.
Atletico Madrid draw with Sevilla
With only 12 games to play, Real Madrid can still win La Liga even after the Clasico loss. The Spanish giants are nine points clear of second-placed Sevilla and are now in pole position to win the league title for the second time in three years. Barcelona have won five of their last eight games, and their new signing Aubameyang has been prolific. However, Real Madrid have yet to lose a game at the Bernabeu, and this could be a worrying development for the Spanish club.
The Spanish papers have covered the incident in a negative way, with the headline ‘a slap that hurts’. Marca also described Madrid as “unrecognised” after the Clasico loss, while AS led with ‘a black night for Madrid’. However, the real reason Madrid lost is that the team did not have enough quality on the day of the game. The absence of Modric does not mean the team is out of the title race.
After the international break, Real Madrid will return to action with a trip to Celta Vigo on April 2. Four days later, the Spaniards will host Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. Barcelona, meanwhile, face Sevilla in the same week. In the meantime, Barcelona and Atletico will face each other in a re-arranged game in the Super Cup on April 2.
In terms of the history of football, there have been great rivalries. Real Madrid and Barcelona are one such rivalry, and the next El Clasico is less than a fortnight away. And with this, both teams can still claim a win in La Liga. A 1-0 defeat of Barcelona would not be enough for Madrid to win the Champions League, but a loss would not mean the end of the world.
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad
The loss to Barcelona was a huge blow to the Champions League aspirations of the reigning champions. Real Madrid are still in the hunt to catch Barcelona and the Italian tactician has taken responsibility for the 4-0 loss. The squad is missing the injured Karim Benzema and the injured Ferland Mendy. The latter is said to be suffering from an injury but Ancelotti insists he is confident in his squad.
While Real Madrid’s press against Barcelona was reminiscent of a weekend-long DIY project, the hosts dominated possession and mounted precise attacks. Midway through the first half, Ancelotti changed his tactics and brought back Modric and Casemiro. Madrid tried to play on the counter-attack but did not have Benzema or other key players.
Carlo Ancelotti may be sacked after this game, but the squad can still win the league under his guidance. The Argentinian is a high-achieving, clever manager with a deserved track record. If Madrid can win La Liga even with a Clasico loss, they can become the first managers to achieve the title in all five of the big European leagues.
The absence of Benzema and Florentino Perez could change the vista. If they could have a long-term absence, Benzema and Thibaut Courtois could be out of the squad. That would mean that the continuity of the side’s players is questionable. Even if the Clasico loss doesn’t make Ancelotti’s job any easier, he will surely go down as one of the most successful managers in the history of La Liga.
While the defeat of the Clasico was a setback for Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid can still win the league if they can keep the spirit of their young players. Ancelotti has been praised for his ability to motivate the team and get the most out of the players. However, Carlo Ancelotti has to make sure that he is able to do that.
Tiebreaker criterion
In the event of a tie, the first criterion is the goal difference, which has precedent in the 2006-07 campaign. Madrid’s goal difference advantage over Barcelona was a 2-0 victory in the second leg while the Merengues’ lead was a 2-2 result. If this scenario repeats itself, the winner of the Clasico would be Real Madrid.
Real Madrid’s RFEF tie-breaking criteria is different from those for the Champions League and La Liga. If the two teams finish level on points, the tie-breaker criteria takes into account a team’s head-to-head record. If both sides have identical head-to-head records against the other team, the tie-breaker criteria will determine which team will go on to win the title.
If Real Madrid loses the Clasico, they must still win the rest of the league to regain their lead. Having 12 matches in the league is equal to 36 possible points. To qualify for the playoffs, Real Madrid must win a game against Atalanta and Young Boys must win a match against Manchester United. If they do not win, they will be forced to settle for third place in Group B. The tiebreaker will apply again to the other tied teams.
If the tiebreaker criterion holds, Real Madrid would have a nine-point advantage over Barcelona. Real Madrid would have to win this derby, or Barcelona must lose the game against Real Betis to secure the title. If both teams do not win, Real Madrid would still win the title. However, the tiebreaker criterion isn’t entirely clear. The tiebreaker will come in the form of a head-to-head tie-breaker if Barcelona’s results are negative.
