Stranger things have happened at the tail end of a Spanish Liga race than the sort of reversal that might yet see Barcelona retain their title.
It could still turn into a drama like, say, 1991-92, when Real Madrid went to Tenerife on the last day as leaders, took a 2-0 lead and then lost it, gifting the championship to Barca.
Or Madrid could yet be overcome by the sort of jitters they suffered the following year, again in Tenerife, where they lost the final match, and with it their top place, Barcelona the beneficiaries.
One of two in the Barcelona dressing-room, such as Gerard Pique, a Barca fan from birth, are just about old enough to remember those legendary turnarounds.
Lionel Messi, meanwhile, can recall vividly the 2006-07 suspense, when, neck and neck on matchday 38, Madrid went 1-0 down to Mallorca, while Barcelona were cruising to three points. A Real comeback snatched the title from Barca only on a head-to-head countback.
There are few, though, in the Barca dressing-room who truly believe that the momentum that has carried Madrid past Barcelona in the table to go into tonight’s penultimate games four points clear is about to dramatically stall. “You have to be honest,” said striker Luis Suarez. “The title is almost impossible now.”
It could be over by just before midnight, Spanish time, on Thursday, the penultimate matchday. If, when the final whistle is blown at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium, Madrid’s temporary home, the hosts have extended their winning run to 10 games at the expense of Villarreal, Madrid are champions.
It would be all tied up in any circumstances if Barcelona fail to beat Osasuna at Camp Nou. The gap between the old enemies is four points, but effectively five because of Madrid’s better head-to head yield from the two clasicos.
Since the shutdown, Madrid have been almost impeccable: Maximum points, just three goals conceded in nine games and a 100 per cent record from the four penalties they have been awarded since the June restart.
Barcelona have had some spot-kicks too, but the weight of points gained by Madrid from the penalty spot, and the fact that they escaped a possible penalty against them against Athletic Bilbao on matchday 34 has been, predictably, the focus of complaints from the defending champions, including some from the Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Suarez, speaking to Sport newspaper, preferred to move beyond confected controversies. "We have to look ourselves," he said. "It is us who let this league slip away. We are not looking for excuses."
When the season was suspended, because of the Covid-19 crisis in March, Barcelona held a two-point lead over Madrid, with 11 games left on the calendar.
Barca had reasons to feel positive at the restart. Suarez, who had undergone surgery soon after new year, would be available for June, having been all but ruled out for April and May; a team built around several players over the age 30 had been allowed some rest during the shutdown.
Barcelona then lost top spot after a 0-0 draw at Sevilla, and dropped more points in two of their next three games. The die was cast, according to Suárez. "The Sevilla match made things hard, although we had chances to go ahead there. But the key game was in Vigo."
Barcelona twice went in front against Celta Vigo, and twice Celta equalised, sealing a 2-2 draw in the 88th minute via a set-piece. "That's when we lost our big chance," Suarez said. "Had we beaten Celta, things would have gone better against Atletico."
Atletico Madrid came to Camp Nou and twice came back from a goal down for another 2-2 draw.
For a club that has become prickly about the habit of capitulation, it is an uncomfortable narrative – a slow-burn, hot-summer version of throwing away a 3-0 lead in a European Cup final, as Barcelona did on the way to losing 4-3 to Liverpool last season.
Or squandering a 4-1 lead, as Barcelona did before being knocked out by Roma in the Champions League quarter-final of 2018.
The veterans – such as Suarez, Pique and Messi – might reluctantly own up that the habit of late-term stumbling had already started in 2015-16. In that Liga race, they were 10 points clear with eight games to go and ended up squeezing over the line to win the title by one point over Madrid on the last day.
Madrid, in their first full season under Zinedine Zidane, went on to win La Liga in 2016-17. It was Zidane’s first league title as a manager. His second, in this, the first full season of eh Frenchman's second spell in the job, is just one more efficient victory, or two cagey draws away.
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Results
2-15pm: Commercial Bank Of Dubai – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Al Habash, Patrick Cosgrave (jockey), Bhupat Seemar (trainer)
2.45pm: Al Shafar Investment – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Day Approach, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
3.15pm: Dubai Real estate Centre – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Celtic Prince, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Sprint by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Khuzaam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Shadwell – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Tenbury Wells, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Jebel Ali Stakes by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
5.15pm: Jebel Ali Racecourse – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Rougher, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
