Tito: "La Liga not over yet"

[Barcaman]

With their 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid, Barca have have set a new record for the best start to a Liga campaign at the beginning of December. Tito Vilanova's team have won their 16th La Liga match this season while amassing 46 points from a possible 48.

"I'm sure it's not going to be easy. I'm quite certain that in some games we are going to struggle or have to produce a fightback and we will drop points. Club Atlético de Madrid are a side that need to be taken into account. They made things really difficult for us at the beginning of the match tonight. They showed in that first half why they are in the position they are in Liga. Real Madrid and Atlético will push us until the end."

“Adriano’s goal was very important, it was very difficult for us at first to break through, and that’s largely due Atlético’s brilliant performance. The goal gave us morale and from that point on we carried the initiative of the match.” On the Brazilian defender, Tito Vilanova said, “he’s playing at a great level. The most important thing is for him to feel good. He went through a program to improve his fitness and that’s helped him a lot. His progress has been fantastic.”

“Naming 11 players to start isn’t easy. I thought we’d do well with the team I sent out and that Villa could help us in the second half. I understand that this isn’t easy for him, but we have a lot of talented players, Mascherano and Alves also watched the match from the bench . . .”

 

[Corb]

Actually it's pretty over IMO. This week, +16 points.

 

[GiantKiller]

Nice to know the medical staff are taking Adrianos' fitness issues very seriously.

 

[Malappapper]

Actually it's pretty over IMO. This week, +16 points.

Malaga were very lucky in their last 2 games, their position flatters them. But OK, I wouldn't discount the possibility of Malaga taking a draw from Madrid.

 

[Corb]

Malaga were very lucky in their last 2 games, their position flatters them. But OK, I wouldn't discount the possibility of Malaga taking a draw from Madrid.

If Espanyol did it, impossible is nothing.

 

[PhilS]

Those comments about Adriano are fascinating, it sounds like the team has come up with a different fitness plan for him than for any other player. I hope Tito resists the temptation to start Adriano too much, because that clearly leads to injury.

If Adriano can continue to play at this level for, say, five games a month, he could be a huge factor in winning the treble this year.

 

[barcanuck]

It's not over by any means, false confidence is the worst thing we can do. I took a look at the calendar, here are the away games we still have to play:

January 2013 Málaga v Barcelona
January 2013 Real Sociedad v Barcelona
February 2013 Valencia v Barcelona
March 2013 Real Madrid v Barcelona
April 2013 Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona
May 2013 Atlético Madrid v Barcelona
29 May 2013 Espanyol v Barcelona

None of these are walks in the park and all hold potential dropped points danger.

 

[messi_xavi_iniesta]

Yep. Keep winning.

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

A 13 point lead is not impossible to lose. That is 4 losses and a draw or 3 losses and 2 draws. It's very, very unlikely but possible if there is some serious injury crisis and Real go on an insanely hot streak. If it's still at 13 points with 10 matches remaining then it is pretty much done.

 

[Malappapper]

It's not over by any means, false confidence is the worst thing we can do. I took a look at the calendar, here are the away games we still have to play:

January 2013 Málaga v Barcelona
January 2013 Real Sociedad v Barcelona
February 2013 Valencia v Barcelona
March 2013 Real Madrid v Barcelona
April 2013 Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona
May 2013 Atlético Madrid v Barcelona
29 May 2013 Espanyol v Barcelona

None of these are walks in the park and all hold potential dropped points danger.

You also left out:

22/12/12: Valladolid - Barcelona

17/02/13: Granada - Barcelona

31/03/13: Celta Vigo - Barcelona

14/04/13: Zaragoza - Barcelona


*Actually, there is a very recent precedent of us almost relinquishing such a lead. It was in our majestically epic 2008/09 season, when after the first Classico (Jornada 15) we were leading by 12 points. Then the Madrid of Juante Ramos went on an amazing streak, and we between the 23rd and 25th Jornadas, drew away to Betis, lost at home to Asspanyol, and then lost away to Atletico. That meant 8 lost points, which cut the gap to just 4 points. The Madrid drew at home with Atleti and the gap became 6 again. Then we drew with Valencia at the Mestalla, and the gap was again 4 points. The next Jornada (the 34th) we had to play Madrid at the Bernabeu.

This is what happened:

Before and after the 2-6 Kickassico Mark I, we had to play Chelsea in a CL semi:

Oh 2008/09, the most epic season in the history of the game.

 

[Malappapper]

And this is the bad run we went through between Jornadas 23 and 25 in 2008/09:

 

[barcanuck]

Thanks for the memory updates Mala. We are 3 games away from the halfway point of 19 matches. I hope we can win Valladoid next week and Real may drop more points to Malaga to buffer the lead. But of course we need the best team from Madrid to hopefully drop some unexpected points.

 

[clausiam]

It's not over by any means, false confidence is the worst thing we can do. I took a look at the calendar, here are the away games we still have to play:

January 2013 Málaga v Barcelona
January 2013 Real Sociedad v Barcelona
February 2013 Valencia v Barcelona
March 2013 Real Madrid v Barcelona
April 2013 Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona
May 2013 Atlético Madrid v Barcelona
29 May 2013 Espanyol v Barcelona

None of these are walks in the park and all hold potential dropped points danger.

I would argue that barring a long-term injury to Messi it is pretty much over. Sure everything can happen and all that, but Madrid (both of them) are going to lose more points along the way too. A 3 loss cushion to Atletico and 4 loss cushion to Real is huge.

But losing Messi to an injury (think Benfica game) could ruin everything as our other attacking players struggle to score consistently.

 

[Corb]

Actually it's pretty over IMO. This week, +16 points.

To myself:

 

[Flavia]

To myself: