Barcelona are the reigning La Liga champions and have won the league title in 6 out of the last 8 seasons. Luis Enrique’s side currently sit in second position in the league table - one point and one place behind leaders Real Madrid - albeit having played a game more.
The Catalan giants have 14 more games left to play before the end of the current La Liga season but will they be able to overturn the 1-point deficit and pip Los Blancos to their 25th La Liga title? Not sure if it is possible based on the current form of the two teams?
Well, here are 5 reasons why they can:
#1 Real Madrid’s feeble fettle
Real Madrid were unbeaten in all competitions this season right up until they faced Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Jorge Sampaoli's side triumphed 2-1 to bring an end to the 40-match unbeaten streak of Zinedine Zidane’s side.
What was first seen as a minor blip in the form of Los Blancos has slowly turned into a big problem with Zidane’s side drawing, losing or narrowly escaping the two in the games following the Sevilla loss.
There are a more than a few factors behind this sudden dip in form – their poor defence, the indifferent form of Cristiano Ronaldo and the worrying form – or lack thereof – of Karim Benzema and Alvaro Morata.
Zidane’s side have only kept 2 clean sheets in their last 11 games across all competitions, highlighting the inability of Sergio Ramos and company to prevent the opposition from scoring.
Add to that, the profligacy of the two Real Madrid strikers namely Morata and Benzema, and Zidane has a real headache in his quest for his maiden La Liga title and Madrid’s first since 2011-12.
Benzema and Morata have combined to score 25 goals for Los Blancos in 61 games, which accounts for a total of 3,342 minutes spent on the pitch. While this roughly equates to 133.68 minutes per goal for the duo – not the worst of stats – it is certainly not enough to help them win the title.
Zidane will thank his stars that Gareth Bale has returned from his lengthy absence due to the ankle injury he picked last year and will be hoping that the Welshman can help the club turn it around towards the business end of the season.
#2 The indifferent form of Cristiano Ronaldo
Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo score the hat-trick in the 3-0 rout of Atletico Madrid at Vicente Calderon in mid-November and followed it with a brace in the 2-1 win over Sporting Gijon, the Portuguese has failed to have a telling impact on a Real Madrid game despite having found the back of the net regularly – or sparsely by his standards.
He has since then scored 6 goals in 10 La Liga encounters, with the goals coming in a 5-0 rout of Sevilla, a 3-0 win over Real Sociedad, a 1-3 away win over Osasuna, the 3-2 away win over Villarreal over the weekend and two 2-1 losses at the hands of Sevilla and Valencia.
While Ronaldo has got the goals, he has failed to inspire his side to victories – a feat a certain Argentine in Catalunya is pulling off weekly, rather tragically. At the end of the season, it is these points that might come back to haunt the Santiago Bernabeu outfit.
#3 Lionel Messi-Suarez-Neymar
While MSN were, without a doubt, the most prolific front three in world football last season, the same cannot be said this year. The inexplicable goal drought – of sorts – of Neymar coupled with the poor – by his standards – form of Suarez has left Barcelona ever so reliant on the genius of Lionel Messi. Messi has bailed them out on more occasions than was the case last season but it doesn’t look like he will stop anytime soon.
Even in a dismal season like this, MSN are capable of turning any game on its head with a moment of pure inspiration. Neymar’s profligacy in front of goal won’t last forever and Suarez is bound to find his lethal touch sooner rather than later, making MSN even more dangerous than they were last season – given that they have the element of surprise now.
Barcelona will also be boosted by the return of Andres Iniesta, the playmaker that Luis Enrique’s side has missed so dearly so far in the season. Iniesta is the player that keeps this side ticking and during his absence, it all came down to Messi – to create chances from midfield, to lay chances on a plate for his teammates and to finish the chances that he and his teammates created. With the return of Iniesta, at least Messi would not have to worry about the first thing anymore.
One can expect MSN to guide Luis Enrique’s side to the title this season, even if they don’t succeed – they will die trying.
#4 Barcelona’s lack of European football
Barcelona take on Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash and will be hoping to overturn an unprecedented 4-0 lead. Luis Enrique’s all-conquering Barca were annihilated by Unai Emery’s side in the first-leg at the Parc des Princes with former Real Madrid man Angel di Maria being the destructor in chief.
The Blaugrana, now, have the tall task of overturning the 4-0 deficit – a feat never before accomplished in Champions League history – when the two sides take to the pitch at Camp Nou on 7th March.
Lionel Messi’s Barcelona have lived by the – never say die attitude – and have achieved feats, which until recently, were considered impossible. However, overturning a 4-0 deficit – even at Camp Nou – is too big an ask from this team, which has struggled to record convincing wins in recent weeks. Even if they do score the 4 goals any away goal for PSG will effectively kill the tie.
Hence, for all practical reasons, the game against PSG looks to be the last European excursion for Luis Enrique’s side this season and after their exit from Europe, they will be left with the sole task of concentrating on the league, which they will go for with all guns blazing.
#5 Recent History
Lionel Messi has 5 La Liga titles to his name, while Cristiano Ronaldo has only 1 since the latter’s arrival in Spain. This is not down to the difference in class between the two clubs, rather reflects the difference in consistency between the two Spanish giants.
Real Madrid have been here before, during the 2014-15 season under Carlo Ancelotti. Los Blancos were flying high and had a 4-point cushion over Barcelona at the end of Gameweek 24 – the same position that La Liga is in right now. The table read something like this:
| Position | Club | Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points |
| 1 | Real Madrid | 24 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 60 |
| 2 | Barcelona | 24 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 56 |
However, an incredible run for Luis Enrique’s side saw them win 12 of the remaining 14 fixtures – drawing the remaining two, as they pipped Real Madrid to the title by two points, thereby overhauling a 4-point deficit into a 2-point lead.
The final table read something like this:
| Position | Club | Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points |
| 1 | Barcelona | 38 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 94 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 38 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 92 |
So with recent history not on their side, Zinedine Zidane’s team have their work cut out if they are to beat Barcelona to the La Liga title, despite being in the lead right now.
