Barca beware: Real Madrid in all-conquering form makes for tricky run-in

Real Madrid's destruction of Granada could be just the jolt needed for the season run-in, writes Andy Mitten.

Real Madrid players train ahead of their match against Rayo Vallecano as coach Carlo Ancelotti keeps a watchful eye. J J Guillen / EPA

Following a clasico defeat in their last outing which saw Real Madrid slip four points behind Barcelona, Carlo Ancelotti said his team needed to win their remaining 10 league games to stand a chance of winning the Primera Liga.

They set out with that intent, scoring nine goals against Granada, Madrid’s biggest victory since 1967, on Sunday.

Along with Wednesday night’s game at neighbours Rayo Vallecano, and two Uefa Champions League quarter-final ties against Atletico Madrid, that emphatic win was the first of six consecutive games in the Spanish capital.

Madrid could actually have scored more against a relegation-threatened Granada side who fielded only three of their regular players ahead of more winnable games against Celta Vigo and Cordoba, but Madrid were impressive nonetheless.

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With a full Bernabeu on a sunny morning, and no injuries, it was just what the club needed. Cristiano Ronaldo’s five goals, his most in one game, pushed him four ahead of Lionel Messi in the race for the Pichichi, the award for Spain’s top scorer.

Ronaldo’s first three goals came in just eight minutes, the quickest treble of his career. He has now scored 300 Real Madrid goals in less than five years — over 60 a season.

Madrid have stuttered in recent months but injured players are now returning to the side and Sunday was the first time since early November that Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez and Luca Modric started in midfield together.

All were superb and when they play together, Madrid average over four goals per game. Quite where the brilliant Isco fits in is something for Ancelotti to ponder, but it’s a problem every coach could like. Ancelotti and his assistants Paul Clement and Fernando Hierro worked on speed of movement in training to get their misfiring front line functioning again. It’s working.

Gareth Bale was one of several players subjected to jeers from his own fans but after he stood out for Wales in Israel, those fans wondered why he wasn’t as confident for club as with country. A little support helped him on Sunday, though kicking the match ball into the crowd was not the wisest thing to do when one of his teammates had scored five and enjoys collecting trophies attesting to his brilliance.

Madrid played well in el clasico and look better in attack than they have at any time this year.

Their defence, which has conceded 27 league goals, more than any team in the top four, needs to show the same improvement, but they now have their best midfielders in front of them again.

Madrid are smiling, but is it too late? They need Barcelona to slip and would have been encouraged as the Catalans were being held 0-0 at Celta Vigo until the 73rd minute on Sunday night.

Then Jeremy Mathieu, Madrid’s nemesis who scored in el clasico and in three of his four games against them, came up with a goal.

Barca are favourites for the title and would need to lose twice for Madrid to close the gap, but they still have to go to the Vicente Calderon to face Atletico and they also play neighbours Espanyol and fifth-place Sevilla away in difficult matches in their run-in.

Sevilla are unbeaten at home this season, though they have yet to play the leading two.

Madrid play at Sevilla in Week 35 and, like Barca, must also play at Espanyol.

Madrid also go to Celta, who ended their title hopes last season. Atletico are nine points behind Barca and retaining their title is a long shot, but look what happened last season when the top three teams stopped winning at the end.

It’s a tough run-in and Spain’s leading three are also in the Champions League.

They wouldn’t have it any other way.

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