Barcelona feeling good vibes ahead of trip to face Eibar
Football is surrounded by ideas that try to give sense and reason to a game that is often as inexplicable as it is unpredictable. One such idea is that when Madrid drop, Barcelona rise, and viceversa.
True enough, in the last four Barcelona games they have three wins and a draw. In Madrid's last four they have a draw, a win and two defeats.
They beat Malaga on Saturday, with a goal from Sergio Ramos - again, again a set piece, again offside - but the team is showing signs of running on empty.
It could be the Club World Cup effect. Whatever it is, the alarm bells are ringing in Chamartin. "I understand the people because they are fans that want more from their team, but the players need affection sometimes. And the coach too," explained Zidane, regarding whistles from the stands.
Sergio Ramos added: "It's a touch of attention that alwas helps the team react. But in the difficult moments one needs some affection, not more criticism."
There was more bad news for Madrid with Cristiano Ronaldo continuing his downswing while Zidane was left "pissed off" because of the spate of injuries he's dealing with, Marcelo the most recent.
Madrid won and ended the first half of the league season top, but the sensations are not good. Quite the opposite, at Barcelona.
Today they head to Eibar where they must show their most pragmatic side, and as Luis Enrique explained, the important thing is getting a win to keep their good results going.
"We need consecutive victories, above all in La Liga, where we have to keep putting pressure on our rivals," he said.
The big setback is not having Iniesta. An irreplaceable player. But Neymar will be there, and his best version. The Brazilian has returned to being the electric player that makes the difference. He's scoring now too, penalties, with his run up that terrifies Barcelona fans as well as the opposition keeper.
In Ipurua there are expected to be rotations, but nobody doubts the presence of the trident. They will cause plenty of problems for Eibar, against a Barcelona side buoyed by Madrid's suffering and aiming to keep pushing onwards and upwards.
