The Real Champs
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4 reasons Real Madrid historically struggle to win La Liga

By Kristofer McCormack

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 27: Sergio Ramos (L) and Marcelo (R) of Real Madrid celebrates with the La Liga trophy prior to the the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Valencia at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on August 27, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 27: Sergio Ramos (L) and Marcelo (R) of Real Madrid celebrates with the La Liga trophy prior to the the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Valencia at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on August 27, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images) /
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Reason 2 – Barcelona

(Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) /

Perhaps the largest factor in Madrid domestic struggles is the rise of Barcelona. El Clasico may be the biggest fixture in the world today, but, don’t be fooled into thinking it always was. Until the 1990s, Barcelona were never a consistent threat to Real Madrid’s monopoly of Spain. The two titles that Real Madrid failed to win in the 1960s were won by Atletico Madrid, not Barcelona. Infact, the Madrid derby was the biggest game in Spain until the 1970s.

Even the arrival of Johan Cruyff didn’t put a dent in Real Madrid’s dominance in Spain. A single league title in his first season was all he denied Real as they swept home five of the next six La Liga crowns following Cruyff’s arrival. It was when the Dutchman took over as Barcelona manager that things began to change in Spain. Barcelona had won 10 league titles before Cruyff took over in 1988, since then they have won another 14, including an historic four in a row under his management.

Of the last 27 seasons, Barcelona and Real Madrid have won La Liga 22 times between the two of them. Since 2009, La Liga champions elect need at least 90 points to be crowned champions. In pursuit of the league title, both clubs have recorded their highest points total within a season of each other (2011-2012 and 2012-2013). Madrid lowest points total in this time frame is 85 points, a total which have won the league outright in every season between 2000 and 2009 barr one (in 2007-2008 which Real Madrid won)

If Madrid’s dominance of the previous era was unprecedented, then the duopoly of Madrid and Barcelona in the modern era is beyond description.

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