Reality bites for Real Madrid as they watch La Liga hope slip away | Sid Lowe


Real Madrid’s third home league defeat of the campaign leaves them level on points with Barcelona, but 10 points adrift of leaders Atlético

Ronald Koeman didn’t intend to speak for both of them and plenty thought he shouldn’t have spoken at all, but as it turned out that’s exactly what he did. It was just after midday on Saturday when the coach said Barcelona “are not in a position to win much” and just before 6pm when Real Madrid showed nor are they.

By the following night, the greatest rivals in sport couldn’t be closer: same points, same wins, same draws, same defeats, same goals conceded. But if a battle is building, it’s not for anything that matters much, and the team they have to catch couldn’t be much further away: Atlético Madrid are 10 points clear. With a game in hand.

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Real Valladolid 1-3 SD Huesca, Villarreal 1-1 Real Sociedad, Valencia 1-0 Elche, Real Madrid 1-2 Levante, Eibar 0-2 Sevilla, Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Bilbao, Granada 0-0 Celta Vigo, Cádiz 2-4 Atlético Madrid, Getafe 0-0 Alavés

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