Real Madrid on the verge and Barça bottom out in the Champions League
Real Madrid were faithful to their appointment with irregularity. There is no team in the world that manages football worse and has better results. Even in the Champions League years ago they had weaknesses like those of today. But the staff and the rivals of that time allowed them to overcome. Now they suffer like a normal team that cannot compete with German high speed. They won against Borussia and went to the round of sixteen as first in their group. The only Spanish team that will avoid teams like Bayern, City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Dortmund, Juventus or PSG in the draw. In other words, Barça, Atletico and Sevilla will be facing a European giant in February.
Zidane's people played football. Modric played the same game as he did years ago. Rodrygo already brings more than Asensio. And Benzema and Ramos are essential. Real Madrid has not been able to give replacements to two veteran players and this will cause problems in the short term. Without Ramos, Madrid has no defensive lines of defence. But he will be free to negotiate his future in 20 days because the call of Florentino Perez does not come. Benzema blocks the arrival of any new number nine. One of the best playmakers in Real Madrid has the burden of the goal and this cannot be so.
Barça are breaking down more and more with each game. They have been toying with their sporting and economic future for years. It will close 2020 with problems to be fourth in the League and on the verge of economic bankruptcy. They score against Juventus complicated their future in Europe. The 0-3 sent them to thesecond place and their rivals are already thinking about replicating the 8-2 in August against Bayern. For it is possible. Without Piqué the defense is nothing. Griezmann is a player's joke. Messi could play with the shirt of Argentina and nothing would be noticed. And the rest are promising players without a lighthouse to guide their paths. The Round of 16 crossing in February will be the poisoned gift for the new management.
Atletico de Madrid advance to the round of sixteen with seven goals for and eight against. With only two victories in six matches. But Simeone knows he has a future in Europe and a clear path to take La Liga. If he manages the squad well and does not fail at the big events, as he usually does, he has a future. Llorente is a scandal, Suárez gives up and the rest contribute because they feel Cholo's breath in every ball they touch. Fortune will lead them to the path of some of the greatest in Europe who will become a little smaller. The Atleti of great deeds never left. In life before the pandemic they beat Liverpool at Anfield and now anything is possible.
Lopetegui fulfilled his sad objective. Chelsea beat Seville to give the headlines against Real Madrid a break. The Whites won 1-0 at Pizjuan and Sevillismo was already sharpening their knives. The last victory in Champions is not transcendent. The problem is all that has been left in the way. Lopetegui will learn the lesson. In February, curves arrive for a team that has the final with Inter or the game against Bayern of the Supercup in its head.
The last day of the Champions League leaves stimulating images of the public in the stands of some English teams. Hopefully in February the fans will return to the stadiums. But it will not be in the Inter stadium, which has seen its team finish last in the group and without European competitions to play. Manchester suffered their third defeat and are heading for the Europa League while continuing to purge their poor football. PSG and Turkish Başakşehir were the protagonists of the incident of the day. The Tower of Babel and ignorance played a dirty trick on the fourth Romanian referee and Webo. It seems that the incident was more a problem of language and manners than a racist comment.