Luis Suárez picks up the ball from the back of Ter Stegen’s net and joins his hands, asking for forgiveness. Atlético cut Barcelona, 4-2, with time ahead to be able to come back. Or try. That doesn’t happen. The marker will not move from how it is. But that goal by Suarez is still important. Equalize the goal-average between the two. The one that Atleti had when they arrived at the Camp Nou, for their 2-0 victory in the first round of LaLiga and had snatched Barcelona from them in a handful of minutes, 4-1. It’s not trivial. In their fight this season, to be one of the four teams that qualify for the next Champions League, Atleti must think about two things game by game. For the points and also for the goal-average. In the event of a hypothetical tie between the two (Barcelona, in fact, beat the rojiblancos on Sunday and snatched fourth place from them, the last one that gives access to that prize) the particular goal-average is tied. Those of Cholo right now lose the general with the Catalans. But that goes back. The other one doesn’t. The other once you have lost it is already impossible.
Real Madrid and Sevilla seem, fixed, that they will be the teams that occupy two of those four places. The leading whites, with 53 points, 15 away from the Catalans, who are currently setting the bar, occupy that fourth position. Sevilla, ranked 2nd, with 47, six behind Madrid, nine behind Barcelona. Below, the fight. All teams that opt for it. Because there is Betis, now 3rd, 40 points, a revelation in this League, and Barcelona with 38. Two behind Barça, those from Cholo (36) and the others who are also looking for those positions and are growing (such as Villarreal, 35 points, and Athletic, 34) or there but decreasing (like Real Sociedad, 35).
A month of May against Madrid, Seville, Athletic and Real
A list, the previous one, with five teams (Barça, Atlético, Villarreal, Athletic and Real) in four points that will live a fierce fight in the coming days. Of all of them, Atlético has only won, for the moment, the goal-average against one of those rivals, Betis, by the 3-0 with which they beat him at the Metropolitan (but that can vanish as the 2-0 that led Barça was almost gone). He will be the first rival against whom he will solve it in this second round. In less than a month (see list of parties below). Just before the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against United. The rest will all come in a stressful May, with the rivals that are missing to be measured in a cascade, Madrid, Seville, Athletic, Real, where the score will have even more influence on everything. It won’t be winning or losing alone. It will be for how much. Perhaps transcendental. Perhaps even more defining than the possibility, or not, of raising a title.
Atlético matches against rivals for Champions positions
6th of March: Betis-Atletico
May 1: Athletic-Athletic
May 8: Atletico-Real Madrid
15 th of May: Athletic-Sevilla
May 22nd: Royal Society-Athletic
Atlético’s goal-average against those rivals right now
Villarreal: 2-2 in the first round and 2-2 in the second. MATCHED.
Athletic: 0-0 in the first round
Barca: 2-0 in the first round and 4-2 in the second. MATCHED.
Real Madrid: 2-0 in the first round (right now for Madrid).
Seville: 2-1 in the first round (right now for Sevilla).
Betis: 3-0 in the first round (right now for Atlético)
#points #goalaverage