In pole position is still Barcelona, despite being plagued by the refereeing scandal. How did it come to this? And what is happening with Real Madrid?
There’s usually another unknown in this equation: Atletico Madrid. Atletico Madrid, however, have ended their Diego Simeone era. It’s a mundane end, with nothing glorious about it. Atletico is struggling to catch a Champions League spot, and whoever comes to the bench in the summer will have to endure the Simeone legacy – with all its positives and negatives.
This season, again, the battle was only between the two superpowers: Barcelona and Real Madrid. Barcelona broke away, despite having probably the worst team in the last thirty years that has reached the first place in La Liga. An inexperienced team, in which Fati, Gavi and Pedri are still growing. As is Xavi on the bench. And only Lewa is a fixed point, a great footballer, but already in his twilight stage, half-way to retirement.
And Real Madrid, scrolling through Europe, should theoretically have had no trouble winning the battle with a raw Barcelona yet (as evidenced by the fact that they haven’t even managed to stay in the Europa League). But it has lost important points, Ancelotti has failed to find a key in midfield, where he also has the veterans Kroos and Modric (and is without the veteran Casemiro, who has left to impress at Manchester United – for better or worse) and the youngsters Valverde, Camavinga and Tchouameni. Without a midfield the team lacked balance and swung depending on the wingers’ performances (Vinicius Jr. doesn’t always play well) and Benzema’s appetite for goals (and his physical condition).
If you want to know when exactly Real Madrid will stumble again, watch their midfield. The defense is broadly the same as the team that is the European champion to date. But here’s the thing: it’s easier to be European champion than Spanish champion in 2023. Or maybe you’re looking for a hint that Barcelona will tread water. It’s simple: Barcelona is Lewa-dependent.
The revolt of the “middle class”
In the rest of the league, you’ve got some sufficiently tough and unpredictable clubs (Bilbao, Sociedad, Mallorca, Osasuna) and some glorious teams in a slump that we’ve sought to explain on another occasion (Sevilla, Valencia). La Liga is going through transformations, as the top has lost some of its height, the top middle class has reclaimed more and more ground. La Liga is less spectacular than a decade ago, certainly less watched than in the Messi-Ronaldo era, but certainly more balanced. And beware of the andalusian Cadiz, a team that can mess anyone up, don’t say you didn’t know! Our Artificial intelligence sure knows. Pay attention to it.
