Barcelona Eye Bernabeu Double Triumph
Having been beaten 4-0 in the reverse fixture of the La Liga and 3-0 in the second leg of the Copa del Rey, Real Madrid will be hoping to save their face and restore parity and they take on arch rival Barcelona today
Barcelona forward Luis Suarez returns to the Santiago Bernabeu to take on Real Madrid just days after knocking them out of the Copa Del Rey with a double in a 3-0 win
After knocking Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona now have the opportunity to send their rivals packing in the title race too.
Barca’s 3-0 victory on Wednesday means they will return to the Santiago Bernabeu today with a spring in their step, even if Madrid were the better side and had the better opportunities until the chaotic final 30 minutes, when a Luis Suarez double and Raphael Varane own goal gave victory to the Catalans.
“They had more chances in the first half, it’s true,” said Gerard Pique. “But in the second we knew how to get at them. They left more space and in 10 to 15 minutes we scored three goals.”
A repeat this weekend in La Liga would leave Santiago Solari’s side 12 points adrift of Barcelona, who would effectively have an extra point’s advantage given their superior head-to-head record. That would be a gargantuan gap to make up with 12 games left.
Atletico Madrid are closer, seven points back, and they still have to play Barca in April, albeit at the Camp Nou, where they have not won in 18 visits. But there is no doubt bumping Real out of the chase would be a major step for the Catalans.
They should feel confident if recent form between the two sides is any guide. The Copa del Rey win was Barcelona’s fourth in six games at the Bernabeu and in each of those they have scored three or more. This season alone, their aggregate total against Real reads 9-2.
And while Madrid will take heart from the handful of golden opportunities they created, it was their opponents that showed the killer instinct, delivered by players used to producing when it matters most.
“When Luis Suarez is in the area, he is at 200 per cent,” said Valverde.
The question for Barca is also what these showings against the defending European champions say about their own chances in the Champions League.
A goalless draw at Lyon in the first leg leaves their last 16 tie delicately poised ahead of the home return next month and if Barca do come through, sterner tests will lie ahead.
Suarez’s brace on Wednesday continues a timely return to form while Lionel Messi showed against Sevilla last weekend that he is ready to call upon his scintillating best when required.
It is in defence where doubts remain. The ease with which Madrid opened Barca up on the counter-attack suggests there is still a vulnerability on the break, which teams in the Champions League will be better placed to exploit.
Midfield has been bypassed too easily all season while neither Nelson Semedo nor Sergi Roberto have really convinced at right back.
There is still time to tighten up and Samuel Umtiti’s return to fitness will be a welcome boost if he can find sharpness before the end of the season. But for those that crave success in the Champions League, more than either La Liga or the Copa del Rey, there is room for improvement.
“We are happy to go through but we have do have to do some things a lot better,” Valverde said. “There are important matches to come.”
Atletico Madrid play a resurgent Real Sociedad on Sunday while Getafe’s surprise challenge for Champions League qualification continues away at Real Betis.
Premiership Table
Team P GD Pts
Liverpool 28 49 69
Man City 28 55 68
Tottenham 28 26 60
Arsenal 28 22 56
Man Utd 28 19 55
Chelsea 27 18 53
Wolves 28 0 40
Watford 28 -1 40
Everton 28 0 36
West Ham 28 -6 36
Leicester 28 -5 35
Bournemouth 28 -14 34
Newcastle 28 -8 31
Crystal Palace 28 -6 30
Burnley 28 -19 30
Brighton 27 -12 27
Southampton 28 -16 27
Cardiff 28 -30 25
Fulham 28 -37 17
Huddersfield 28 -35 14
Premiership
Today
Tottenham v Arsenal 12:30
Bournemouth v Man City 15:00
Brighton v Huddersfield 15:00
Burnley v C’Palace 15:00
Man Utd v Southampton 15:00
Wolvers v Cardiff 15:00
West Ham v Newcastle 17:30
Sunday
Watford v Leicester 12:00
Fulham v Chelsea 14:05
Everton v Liverpool 16:15
Hot Shot
Name Club Goals
Sergio Agüero Man City 18
Mohamed Salah Liverpool 17
Aubameyang Arsenal 16
Harry Kane Tottenham 15
Sadio Mané Liverpool 14
Alexandre Lacazette Arsenal 12
Eden Hazard Chelsea 12
Raheem Sterling Man City 12
Paul Pogba Man Utd 11
Son Heung-Min Tottenham 11
Gylfi Sigurdsson Everton 11
Callum Wilson Bournemouth 10
Aleksandar Mitrovic Fulham 10
Richarlison Everton 10
Glenn Murray Brighton 10
Raúl Jiménez Wolves 10
Romelu Lukaku Man Utd 10
Spanish La Liga Fixtures
Today
Espanyol v Valladolid 12:00
Villarreal v Alavés 15:15
Huesca v Sevilla 17:30
Madrid v Barcelona 19:45
Sunday
Eibar v Celta Vigo 11:00
Real Betis v Getafe 15:15
Sociedad v Atlético 17:30
Valencia v Bilbao 19:45
Monday
Leganés v Levante 20:00
Serie A
Today
Empoli v Parma 1 4:00
AC Milan v Sassuolo 17:00
Lazio v Roma 19:30
Sunday
Torino v Chievo 11:30
Genoa v Frosinone 14:00
SPAL v Sampdoria 14:00
Udinese v Bologna 14:00
Atalanta v Fiorentina 17:00
Napoli v Juventus 19:30
