‘FIFA virus’ can’t halt top three pulling away
With Messi and Xavi absent for Barca, Iniesta also had penalty taking duties
Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti both bemoaned post-international break injury problems on Friday, with their clubs missing big name players for the return to domestic action.
“This situation is not good for us,” Ancelotti complained. “We are lucky not to have more problems, and fortunate that there are no more international games until March.”
“We are missing the best player and the best goalkeeper in the world,” lamented Martino, referencing the absences of Lionel Messi and Victor Valdes respectively.
Barca’s issues were so severe that Andres Iniesta, usually behind Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and Valdes in the pecking order, was captain on Saturday.
With Messi and Xavi absent, Iniesta also had penalty taking duties. But then a World Cup winning goalscorer is not a bad back-up to have — and he scored from the spot after just 20 minutes to put his side ahead.
The Catalans never looked back — or really came out of second gear — while going on to win 4-0 with further goals from Cesc Fabregas (penalty), Alexis Sanchez and Pedro.
The high-profile list of goalscorers betrays that Barca’s much-changed team contained 10 full senior internationals. The odd man out was veteran reserve keeper Jose Pinto, set for six weeks as first choice while Valdes recovers from a calf injury. Pinto is 38, and usually only plays in the Copa del Rey. Granada were keen to test him out, but got few chances to do so as Barca dominated from start to finish, even with Neymar having a quiet day.
Martino had the good grace not to complain again when speaking post-match. “Those who were out are among the best around, but those who played are good too,” he said. “With the squad Barca we have, I am not going to make excuses.”
The ‘FIFA Virus’ denied Madrid Sami Khedira, Angel Di Maria, Marcelo, Raphael Varane and Fabio Coentrao for Saturday’s trip to Almeria. But a familiar name was on the scoresheet inside three minutes, as Cristiano Ronaldo flicked home an Isco cross to put his side in control.
Ronaldo only got the one this time as he picked up an injury and stepped from the pitch early in the second half, asking to be substituted. Almeria sensed a chance, but smart finishes from Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale quickly ended any thoughts of an upset.
The game was already decided but Madrid pushed on — Isco’s clever 20-yard strike made it four, and young substitutes Casemiro and Alvaro Morata combined for the fifth. The impressive contributions by Isco and Casemiro gave Ancelotti plenty to ponder as he reorganises his midfield knowing Khedira will miss six months after a knee operation.
“The important thing is to have a squad so we can play different systems,” the Italian said afterwards, while also insisting Ronaldo’s substitution had just been a precaution.
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone last week made less of an issue of his players’ international exertions. And his side went about its business as efficiently as usual — even topping Madrid’s score by beating Getafe 7-0 at the Estadio Vicente Calderon in Saturday’s final game.
The highlight came from Diego Costa — the Brazil-born attacker who missed making his international debut for Spain last week with a knock — who came off the bench to score a phenomenal bicycle kick.
Although his side remain second, three points behind Barca and three ahead of Madrid, Simeone again maintained afterwards that his side did not have the strength in depth to win the title.
“I still think La Liga is boring,” Simeone claimed. “Those of us who are not Madrid or Barcelona have little chance.”
It is true Atletico cannot even imagine matching the resources available to their richer rivals, but La Liga really is now a three horse race.
Carlos Vela’s display in Real Sociedad’s 4-3 La Liga win over Celta Vigo on Saturday reinforced the idea that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger missed a trick in not re-signing the Mexican attacker last summer.
Vela put his side ahead early with a crisp strike, but the visitors turned the game around and were 3-1 up early in the second half. Enter Vela again, who headed his side back into the game, scrambled an equaliser and then slotted his fourth to complete the comeback.
“It has been a really good day for me, I must enjoy it,” said Vela afterwards. “But we go back to work tomorrow and must think about our next game (in Champions League at Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday).”
The now 24-year-old has matured. His spell at Arsenal featured an occasional barnstormer in the Carling Cup or Europe, but he left having scored just four goals in 49 games over three seasons. But his first two campaigns at Sociedad brought 14 and then 16 goals, and La Real were relieved when the Gunners did not take up a (reported) option to re-sign him last summer for just €4.2m.
Given Nicklas Bendtner’s struggles, that might have been a worthwhile gamble.
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