Can Real Madrid bounce back and obtain perfection?
This is a strong question to ask, but I can’t think of a way Real Madrid can secure the league title without being perfect. Barcelona already made their big slip up against Granada, and it’s unlikely they will falter again. Real themselves will face Granada on a Thursday night next week, but not before they have to face former title contenders Sevilla, whom they barely beat earlier this season. (They played a low block to hold onto all three points at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan!)
And that’s not even mentioning the final two matches of the season, which include a trip to San Mames (Athletic Club were the ones who beat Atleti and Sevilla recently, by the way) and a season-closing match against Villarreal. Recall that Los Blancos drew Unai Emery’s side 1-1 earlier this season, albeit without Karim Benzema.
Real Madrid have a tough schedule remaining. They cannot dwell for a moment on the bitter taste of Champions League defeat. A title is still on the line, and Los Blancos will want to do whatever they can to successfully defend La Liga.
The league is well within their reach, even if Atleti still hold a slight advantage at the top by two points. Atleti have a way of, uh, bottling things, so if Real can take control of their own destiny, there’s a chance Atleti will give them one final gift.
But the key is Real Madrid must win every game. No draws. All wins. They have more draws than any team in the top four and are tied with Atleti for the least number of losses. It’s time to convert those draws into wins.