While they’ve not always claimed their domestic league title on a regular basis, we’ve become accustomed to seeing Real Madrid dominate in Europe, taking three Champions League trophies in four seasons. They’re still in the mix for European glory in 2017/18 but issues in La Liga means that the unthinkable may become a reality.
Could Real miss out on qualification for the Champions League next season? As they returned from the Spanish winter break in fourth place, there is much work to be done to book their customary place amongst Europe’s elite.
Dominant
Attention among the football betting community is starting to turn to the World Cup, with odds comparison site Oddschecker listing a number of free bet options for Russia 2018. Before that main event, there is much to be decided in Spain and in other domestic leagues around the world.
In La Liga, Barca started January with a 16-point lead over Real in what has been a dominant campaign so far for the Catalans. Real are a general 14/1 shot to win the title this season, but perhaps Barca are more concerned about the challenges from Atletico Madrid and Valencia, who sit in second and third respectively.
Meanwhile, fourth place would be enough to take Real Madrid into the early stages of the Champions League but they cannot afford to be complacent. Sevilla, Villarreal and Eibar all sit within five points of Zinedine Zidane’s men and harbour genuine ambitions of claiming that fourth slot.
Crucial Fixtures
A home defeat to Barcelona just before Christmas has rather summed up Real’s season so far as they went down 3-0 to their rivals while having Dani Carvajal sent off in the 63rd minute. If they are to stay in the top four, Zidane’s men simply must pick up points against the teams around them and January sees the side face crucial fixtures against Villarreal and Valencia.
Of course, the club can get back into the Champions League by winning it for the third time in succession. That would be an unprecedented event and Madrid’s form in the group phase makes that far from certain. Real were taken apart by Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, failed to finish top of their group and as a result face a tough tie against high-flying Paris St Germain in the last 16.
As a club known for a lack of patience, it’s a surprise to some that Zidane is still in the manager’s chair after such a poor start to the 2017/18 campaign. As one of Real Madrid’s greatest ever players, ‘Zizou’ is perhaps being given more time to resolve these issues than others may have been afforded.
Naturally, there is enough time to turn things around but with a successful defence of their La Liga title now looking doomed, the club simply must focus on their remaining games as the Champions League just wouldn’t be the same without Real Madrid.
Leave a Comment