Barcelona Dominates Real Madrid to Move Closer to La Liga Title
MADRID — For the second time in just five days, Barcelona showcased their superiority over Real Madrid, securing a commanding 3-0 victory at the Estadio Alfredo di Stéfano. This win brings Pere Romeu’s side within striking distance of a seventh consecutive La Liga title.
The match saw own goals from Ona Batre, Alexia Putelas, and Mael Lacral, which left leaders Barcelona 13 points ahead of second-placed Madrid with only six matches remaining in the season.
This triumph follows an earlier 6-2 dismantling of Madrid at the same venue in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, further emphasizing Barcelona’s dominance this season.
As the Clasico trilogy nears its conclusion, both teams will face off again on Thursday at Camp Nou for the second leg of the quarter-finals. Currently, the speculation revolves around how many goals Barcelona might score rather than whether Madrid can mount an improbable comeback.
Madrid experienced a dismal performance on Sunday, managing only a single shot on target. If anything, they were likely relieved to have lost by only three goals.
A year ago, Madrid celebrated their first-ever European victory over Barcelona along with a victory against Arsenal. However, this season’s contrasting performances suggest that the gap between the two rivals remains significant.
While Madrid has been bolstering their roster, focusing on standout Linda Caicedo, who shone in Thursday’s match but was relatively quiet on Sunday, Barcelona has taken a different approach. The club chose to limit spending last summer, opting to transfer players and elevate young talent to fill the ranks, a strategy that has paid off well.
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While Sydney Scheltenleib and Vicky López continue to make an impact for Madrid, both still emerging as promising talents, it’s noteworthy that Barcelona continues to thrive even in the absence of their star player, three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bommati, who is currently sidelined due to injury.
The match on Sunday differed from Wednesday’s clash, as Madrid adopted a more passive strategy, allowing Barcelona to control possession. However, after Batre’s long-range shot was deflected by goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez in the 18th minute, the tone for the match was set.
At halftime, despite facing a goal-line clearance by Rocio Gálvez that denied Putelas, Madrid’s fortunes shifted dramatically in the second half. Captain Putelas scored in the 51st minute after a dazzling run by Caroline Graham-Hansen, prompting an urgent team meeting among Madrid players just outside the box.
This regrouping had little effect, as four minutes later, Lacral flicked Batre’s cross over Rodríguez, marking the start of a barrage of attempts by Barcelona. Irene Paredes narrowly missed the net, while Salma Paraluello’s effort was cleared off the line. Despite dominating possession, Barcelona maintained their intensity, eager to secure as many goals as possible ahead of their upcoming rematch.
Guijarro labeled Wednesday’s 6-2 victory “historic,” but is also aware that Barcelona stands to gain from Madrid’s ongoing improvements, as well as the overall strengthening of Liga F. With Barcelona’s recent performance reflecting their prowess, they need only two more wins from their remaining six matches to clinch their 11th league title.
Since Madrid’s victory last March, Barcelona has won five consecutive Clasicos, boasting an impressive aggregate score of 19-2. Any previous chatter about Madrid narrowing the gap has been silenced decisively. As López aptly noted, “Madrid may be getting better, but so are we.”
