LaLiga has adopted a familiar look with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid back in the top four and both teams might now begin to believe they can finish second as Sevilla continues to stumble.
Barcelona, in particular, look primed for a late surge after winning four games on the bounce, their January signings giving them a boost just when they needed it most.
They still have seven points to overturn to reach second but Xavi Hernandez’s side do have a game in hand, as well as a meeting with Sevilla to come next month at Camp Nou.
Such is the optimism around Barcelona that Xavi was even asked on Wednesday if they could yet win the title, although for Real Madrid to spurn a 15-point advantage with 11 games to go, 12 in Barca’s case, seems unthinkable.
“Mathematics says that we can win the league, so why not?” Xavi said. “The others are failing but not Real Madrid. They have time on their side. It’s very difficult, but not impossible.”
Still, a second-place finish would mark an impressive turnaround for Barca and Xavi, who took over in November with the team lying ninth. If the league began on January 1, Barcelona would be top.
They should continue their strong run at home to 11th-placed Osasuna on Sunday, with their next game at Real Madrid on March 20, after the second leg against Galatasaray in the Europa League.
“LaLiga and the Europa League are the two goals but the first is to be in the Champions League next year,” said Xavi. “We’re already third and the goals now are the two remaining titles. LaLiga doesn’t lie to you.”
Madrid had been giving encouragement to the chasing pack after winning only three out of seven games between December and February.
But their 4-1 trouncing of Real Sociedad last weekend was ominously convincing while a momentous comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday hardly suggested a team about to let up.
With Karim Benzema fit and firing again, Madrid, who play at Mallorca on Monday night, look more likely to extend their eight-point cushion in the coming weeks than throw it away.
“Karim is back to being the best Karim, the Karim he was before his injury,” Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday. (Supersports)
