Synopsis
This weekend in La Liga, Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona achieved victories, while Real Madrid suffered a defeat to Espanyol. The title race is tightening, with Real Madrid holding a slim lead. Antonio Rudiger's injury poses a significant challenge for Madrid, while Atletico looks to capitalize. Celta Vigo struggles without key player Iago Aspas.Key Takeaways
- Tight title race intensifies
- Rudiger's injury a major concern
- Atletico Madrid's resurgence
- Celta Vigo's relegation worries
- Upcoming Madrid derby crucial
Madrid (Spain), Feb 3 (NationPress) Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona both secured victories in their matches this weekend, while Real Madrid faced a surprising defeat against Espanyol, causing the title race in Spain to tighten once more. Real Madrid clings to a slim one-point advantage with 49 points, followed closely by Atletico with 48 points. FC Barcelona stands at 45 points, with Athletic Bilbao in fourth place at 41 points, and Villarreal holding fifth with 37 points.
Here are the insights we gathered from this weekend's La Liga action.
Tightening title race ahead of Madrid derby
The weekend commenced with Real Madrid having a four-point cushion over Atletico Madrid and a seven-point lead ahead of FC Barcelona. However, it concluded with Real Madrid maintaining a mere one-point edge over Atletico and just four points over Barcelona, as reported by Xinhua. With Real Madrid and Atletico set to clash next weekend, it presents an opportunity for Barcelona to inch closer to the top of the standings. Different outcomes could have allowed Real Madrid to assert dominance, but now the title race is very much alive.
Rudiger's injury a significant setback for Real Madrid
Real Madrid was shocked by a 1-0 defeat to struggling Espanyol, who capitalized on a counterattack to net the game's only goal. However, the more concerning news for Madrid was the injury to defender Antonio Rudiger, who sustained a hamstring injury.
This injury will sideline Rudiger for at least three weeks, causing him to miss the upcoming Madrid derby against Atletico, the Champions League playoff against Manchester City, a Copa del Rey quarter-final in Leganes, and a league match against Osasuna.
With Eder Militao out for the season and David Alaba battling fitness issues, Rudiger has been Madrid's standout defender this season, yet his extensive playtime of nearly 3,000 minutes has led to this unfortunate injury. Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland will undoubtedly be pleased with this development.
Atletico re-enters the title race
Atletico Madrid closed the gap to Real Madrid with a decisive 2-0 victory over Mallorca, thanks to goals from Samuel Lino and Antoine Griezmann. While not a classic performance at the Metropolitano Stadium, Atletico did enough to secure the win against a struggling Mallorca side, with Griezmann sealing the match in injury time.
Atletico seems to thrive when underestimated in tournaments rather than when favored, as evidenced by their recent five-point drop after taking the lead at the end of last year. A victory at the Bernabeu next weekend could see Atletico reclaim the top spot. Will Diego Simeone's squad head to the Bernabeu as underdogs?
Celta Vigo urgently needs Aspas back
Celta Vigo's 2-1 loss away to relegation-threatened Valencia on Sunday saw them drop to just four points above the relegation zone. After a solid start to the season, the northwestern Spanish team is now embroiled in a relegation battle.
Celta has suffered three defeats and managed just one draw in their four matches this year, a trend that coincides with the absence of club captain and striker, Iago Aspas, who is sidelined with a calf injury. The 37-year-old has contributed six goals and three assists this campaign, but his impact extends beyond statistics, as his drive, passion, and leadership are desperately needed on the pitch.
