Atletico and Barca draw to hand advantage to Real Madrid
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid knew victory could fire them towards the La Liga title but a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou on Saturday handed Real Madrid the chance to move top of the table.
Zinedine Zidane’s side know four wins from their last four games will be enough to retain their La Liga crown, with a crunch game at home to fourth-placed Sevilla up first on Sunday.
The first part of a blockbuster weekend in the Spanish title race pitched first against third but neither could take a decisive step forward, despite the best attempts of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, who faced each other for the first time since Suarez departed last summer.
A point each leaves Atletico three points clear of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand and also the superior head-to-head over both Atleti and Barcelona.
Barca remain two points off the top but their chances took the biggest hit, given they now need both Atletico and Real Madrid to slip up in the final stretch.
Simeone says he won’t watch title rivals Real’s match after Atletico draw with Barca
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said he would not watch Real Madrid’s La Liga game with Sevilla on Sunday after his side’s 0-0 draw with Barcelona on Saturday put the title back within their local rivals’ grasp.
The draw leaves table-toppers Atletico on 77 points, and while Real sit three points back in third place, they can go top if they beat fourth-placed Sevilla thanks to a superior head-to-head record against the Rojiblancos.
It would be the first time Atletico are not top of La Liga since Nov. 7 – and with just three games to go.
“I’m not watching the (other teams’) games. I don’t enjoy it so I’d prefer not to watch,” he told a post-match news conference.
“I don’t think it will go any differently if I do watch it, so I’ll have dinner with my family and get ready for Monday’s session and focus on playing a good game against Real Sociedad” on Wednesday.
“It’s a great season, where four sides are looking for the best possible ending.
“The game transpired as we wanted it to. We attacked well through pressing them and recovering the ball. We were great in the first half, and the second was more even.”
Atleti keeper Jan Oblak acknowledged that his side are no longer in control of the outcome this season, but he pointed out that having a game in hand is not always a good thing.
“It’s true, we don’t have things in our own hands, but Real and Sevilla have to play four games, whereas we have three.
“It’ll be tough to the end for everyone. There’s a lot of games with a lot to play for, all tough matches, and whoever comes through this period strongest will win La Liga.”
BARCELONA (Reuters/AFP)
