In a completely unusual situation, the Spanish League lowered the blind last night until the day of December 30-31. The Cup tie for the weekend remains, but without the teams participating in the Spanish Super Cup (Barça, Madrid, Valencia and Betis). In the middle of the season, a long break due to the World Cup that starts on the 20th. More than a month and a half without the League, almost as if it were a second summer. Enough time to reflect, fix messes, think about what can be improved and also to cross our fingers so that the teams with the majority of internationals do not suffer many casualties in the form of injury in the World Cup.
The azulgrana team, after being eliminated in the Champions League and falling in the classic, has taken flight and has reached this break savoring the lead. 37 points added out of 42 are an excellent balance for Xavi Hernández's men, who have withstood the pull and have been recovering their pulse thanks to Lewandowski's goals, Ter Stegen's saves and the improvement of high-level footballers like Frenkie de Jong. The locker room is practically empty and the few Barcelona fans, such as Iñaki Peña, Sergi Roberto or Kessié among others, who do not attend the World Cup will not return to training until December 5. Already without Piqué, that today there will probably be a photo session with his trophies won at Barça. He will also deliver his last shirt to the Museum. In a more or less similar situation is Real Madrid, slipstreaming in the championship after lowering the piston in recent weeks.
The blue and white team, sportingly undercapitalized by not having a good transfer market, has only achieved two wins and its limitations are becoming more and more obvious. In Cornellà, voices against the board were already heard in the stands last Wednesday in the match against Villarreal. The coach, Diego Martínez, has already lowered expectations when he saw how the squad was left, but right now his only goal is to avoid relegation. Espanyol still has the Cup match on Saturday against Rincón Malaga. Later, the coach has granted ten days of vacation to the squad and on December 5 they will travel to Murcia to carry out a second preseason. It is expected that Espanyol will play more than one friendly in this journey to try to maintain the physical tone.
Míchel's team, with their draw at the Bernabeu and their last two wins in a row, has come around and left the relegation zone. He has finally translated his good intentions into points. Now he plays the Cup against Quintanar del Rey on Sunday and then takes a break for a couple of weeks. Those from Montilivi will also carry out a kind of second preseason with friendlies, possibly in the Marbella area.
Simeone's set is unrecognizable. Eliminated from Europe, he hasn't raised his head since Carrasco missed a decisive penalty against Bayer Leverkusen. Now he has fallen out of the Champions League places. His last league appearances ended with defeats in Cádiz and Mallorca. He has conceded 14 goals, one per game. Very far from its benefits of other seasons. Diego Simeone's eternal project shows signs of exhaustion, but drastic decisions are not expected in this break. First they have to avoid surprises in the Copa del Rey this weekend.
He has already fired Lopetegui, but the arrival of Sampaoli has not reactivated a team full of nervousness, as can be seen with the expulsions they have been suffering, and lacking in confidence and effectiveness. He lost his leaders on defense and also has no hole-shooting forwards. One fact sums it all up. In the League he still hasn't won at the Sánchez-Pizjuán, normally a fort. Hence he is wasting away in the low zone. See it to believe it.
Unai Emery's fright towards the Premier left Villarreal upset. The club threw themselves into the arms of Quique Setién, but after four games a sector of the stands already asked for his departure. We will have to wait for events to see if the narrow victory in Cornellà will serve the Cantabrian to remain in the club. In the coming weeks, they will have to make a decision.
