Yamal (left) sent shivers down Real Madrid's spine - Photo: REUTERS
Real can still turn things around.
But now, their arch-rivals – Barca – are aiming for a quadruple this season. In La Liga, Barca comfortably sit at the top with a relatively safe lead. In the Champions League, Barca have reached the semi-finals. In the Copa del Rey, they have also reached the final. And before that, Barca won the Spanish Super Cup this season by defeating Real Madrid.
But going furthest doesn't necessarily mean ultimate victory. Real Madrid can still turn things around if they beat Barca in the La Liga race, as well as defeat their rivals in the Copa del Rey final. The Copa del Rey final will take place next weekend. In La Liga, the two teams will clash in round 35 on May 11th. Those are truly two crucial weeks for Barca this season.
The pressure on Barca will be even greater as they still have the Champions League to compete in, along with the financial constraints they face. Barca needs to win the title to... earn money. But on the other hand, the confidence of coach Hansi Flick's team is also very high because they have a very good head-to-head record against their arch-rival Real Madrid.
Specifically, this season, Barca have convincingly defeated Real Madrid in both encounters (4-0 in the first leg of La Liga and 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final). These victories are reminiscent of the golden era of Messi's generation. From 2008 to 2010, Barca beat Real Madrid five times in a row, scoring 16 goals in that streak (conceding only 2).
Real Madrid are looking for a replacement for coach Ancelotti - Photo: Reuters
Will the golden age return to Barca?
With Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Cubarsi..., Barca is now heading towards the golden years of 2008-2015. The season is still far from over for them; in the worst-case scenario, Barca could lose to Real Madrid in both domestic competitions and be eliminated from the Champions League. But even so, Barca can still be satisfied with their rapid progress.
Just last season, Barca were completely outmatched by Real Madrid. Losing to their rivals in every competition, Barca were also struggling with debt and facing ridicule from all sides.
But patience with La Masia helped them turn things around. Barca entered this season with a total of 13 players who came through the La Masia academy. In addition, there are several players who joined the team at a very young age, such as Pedri.
Not everyone shines like Yamal. But most are following in the footsteps of Gavi, Balde, and Fermin Lopez. There's Gerard Martin, the left-back who has played 32 times this season, and Hector Fort (24 times)... Coach Hansi Flick seems to have a magical touch; whenever he calls up a player from the youth team, they immediately integrate and demonstrate remarkable composure. Of course, this is the result of a systemic approach.
The football world once mocked Barca for their mountain of debt, their installment contracts, and the way they exploited young players. But the La Masia academy still stands strong, challenging Real Madrid's perfect model.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/real-madrid-nen-lo-so-barca-20250420110128335.htm
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