‘If Barcelona slip up….’ – Real Madrid performance breathes optimism into dressing room | OneFootball

Barcelona dealt another body blow to Real Madrid on Saturday evening, as they pipped Los Blancos in the Copa del Rey final with just five minutes to go, courtesy of Jules Kounde’s late strike in extra time. However with four points between the two sides at the top of La Liga, and five games to go, Real Madrid have more belief they can turn things around.

That is the latest coming out of the Spanish capital as of Monday morning. Diario AS say that the feeling from the dressing room and the coaching staff is that La Liga is very much still there for them. Having been thrashed 4-0 and 5-2 in the first two meetings between the two, Rreal Madrid competed much better in the Copa final, and in the second half were the better of the two sides.

They believe that if they beat Celta Vigo and Barcelona in the Clasico between the two on the 11th of May, then Los Blancos have a strong chance of winning La Liga. Provided Barcelona are victorious against Real Valladolid this week, that would leave Real Madrid a point behind with just three games to go.

Image via Diario AS

Los Blancos face RCD Mallorca, Sevilla and Real Sociedad before the end of the season, a trio of fixtures they see as winnable. Meanwhile Barcelona finish out the season with a trip to rivals Espanyol, who will be motivated to destroy their title hopes, and then Villarreal and Athletic Club at San Mames, two sides competing for a Champions League spot. It is a message that is echoed by El Chiringuito, who say that the message from Real Madrid is ‘if Barcelona slip up, the league is ours’.

Certainly Barcelona have the tougher run in of the two, but it may well in part come down to the situation of the sides they face too. Villarreal could be in desperate need of points, or already have secured a Champions League spot. Equally, Athletic could well be in the same situation, and/or coming off the back of a Europa League final depending on how things go against Manchester United. For Real Madrid, Sevilla could be involved in a relegation battle, while Mallorca and La Real will be competing for a European spot, as will their opponents this week, Celta. There is a good chance they will be without Antonio Rudiger through suspension though.