More Boos At The Bernabéu - Real Madrid Fall Nine Points Behind Barca

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1:28No, I Liga. No, Aliga. It's done, isn't it? Another record for Laminya Mal as well. The youngest player to reach 100 La Liga games for Barcelona in La Liga history. Arbeloa had a rant, didn't he? Yeah, I liked what he said. What he said, for me it's a clear penalty here and even on the moon. If there's a team that you want to watch in Europe at the moment, it's probably Barcelona. Yeah, I think that they will turn things around in the Champions League as well.

2:02Hello and welcome to the rest of this Football La Liga episode with Alex Algeo and me, Gara Lineker, on probably a defining moment in La Liga this weekend where Barcelona won and Real Madrid dropped points yet again. But before we get to the football, Alex, wow, you're at home. I'm at home. You're not in a hotel room. No, you can tell by the dartboards. Dartboards there. That's when you know I'm at home. No, I'm at home for the next half an hour and then I'm off to Liverpool for second leg Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain. Not looking hopeful, is it, for Liverpool? Yeah, I think it's a big ask against a very, very good PSG team.

2:43But, well, I think it's very, very clear that no Eiliga. No Eiliga. It's done, isn't it? It's done, surely. Barring what? Barcelona slipping up in a couple of games and then Real Madrid winning the Clasico. There could be Liga after that, but it's not looking hopeful, is it? I think it sort of depends what happens in the Champions League as well. If they were to get knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid, which obviously could happen with… Well, 2-0 lead. Yeah, got a 2-0 lead. Obviously, then I think they're 100 % winning La Liga. But if they we've always said the Champions League was Barcelona's priority this season so there could be a glimmer glimmer of hope if Barcelona went through and put all you know all the eggs in the Champions League basket but but it's yeah we want to say there's Liga but no I Liga no I Champions Liga so I mean as you said I just wondered what the fallout was about that decision the red card Kabasi red card because I thought it was one of the most appalling VAR turnovers I've seen because the ref didn't give it on field.

3:56Was there even any contact? I was watching it. It looked like he tripped himself over. I'm not sure there was contact, but even if there was a minimum of contact. Because he was the last defender. He was the last defender, but the law says you've got to deny a clear goal scoring opportunity, right? So the ball is actually behind him and you can see quite clearly that it's behind his backside. so how that even then when he trips himself over how that can possibly be a red card I don't know and that's obviously completely changed the game yeah and Julio Navarro has scored didn't he from that very free kick Barcelona down to 10 men and all of a sudden it's a different game they were so dominant as well before that you just thought it's only a matter of time before Barcelona run away with this but then I think they almost doubled down they criticised the referee who's now not going to play but did say one of the reasons was that he didn't give the red immediately.

4:53And you thought, what? Is that true? I don't know. I just wanted those social media posts. It might be wrong, but I just thought it was extraordinary. So Barcelona have got it all to do. But they could. They could. They could. As have Real Madrid. Yes. And I did say last week that I thought that Real Madrid would knock Bayern Munich out. And I think I'm going to stand by them. I am not. And I know that's a really big statement. Well, it's possible. It was a very good game, the Real Madrid-Bayern Munich one. You know, Bayern Munich were excellent, but both teams had their chances and will probably do so again in the Allianz Arena.

5:26But that is a tighter one to call, but I fancy Bayern Munich quite strongly. Yeah, and they're at home as well. Well, exactly, with a 2-1 lead. And that takes us nicely onto Real Madrid, dropping points left, right and centre. It's strange because we said it last week as well with that performance. They just don't look like a team that's fighting for a La Liga title. I mean, maybe they're not anymore, but it's just lacklustre. We've said it all season. There's a lot of very talented individuals. And I don't know what the solution is. I was thinking maybe they need a traditional number nine. But then what happens with Mbappe and Vidi Junior?

6:03You can't play them both on the left. But that could be the solution. I think the issue is more in midfield. There's no real control of games now. You've said it before. They are some great individuals and there's no denying that. But can we say no hay equipo? Yeah. I think he definitely did. There's no team. They're not playing as a team. Yeah. That's just not working. They're not gelling particularly well. There's no doubt that both Mbappe and Vinicius Junior like to favour the left side to play, particularly Vinicius, I suppose. And Mbappe's played there most of his career. But Kylian Mbappe has turned himself into a bloody good centre-forward, a really, really good nine.

6:46And he's scoring a lot of goals. He always looks dangerous, even in this game. He had one or two, you know, decent efforts. Yeah, I think his finishing is letting him down at the moment. It's only, what, one goal in seven appearances, which is, well, by his standards, pretty poor, isn't it? He's going through one of those spells that all strikers go through, where it doesn't quite happen for you. If you've got two of them, you've got Vinicius and Mbappe, neither of them like defending. There's no doubt about that. So that in itself can be an issue, particularly against the best teams. So, yeah, I just don't know what they do, Real Madrid.

7:18I don't know what they do. I don't know whether you can have them both playing the way they do unless one completely buys into defending and stuff. But neither of them really do. They're never going to, are they? And there was a big late penalty shout, wasn't there, as well, involving Kylian Mbappe. Yeah, and he got blood on his forehead. I think he clipped him. I mean, it was a flailing arm. It didn't look particularly... I don't know. It's one of those that I thought they might give it. but they didn't. What did you think? I mean, Arbeloa had a rant, didn't he? Yeah, I liked what he said. What did he say?

7:45For me, it's a clear penalty here and even on the moon. On the moon. But surely there's no VAR on the moon either, so. Yeah, I wonder if you could have done that similar incident without gravity. His arm might have just lifted above his head instead. So I'm not sure he's right on that. That's true, that's true. But I know what he means. Yeah, it was like another week, another incident. That's the reality we're dealing with. I don't think Real Madrid help themselves when they're constantly complaining about referees. No, because we all know they get decisions way more than Barcelona do. As says former Barcelona.

8:19To be honest, to be honest, if you read, I mean, not just social media, but the newspapers and everything. The Real Madrid fans and group and club are convinced that the referee is against them. In Barcelona, the fans and the players and everyone are convinced that all the referees are against them. And it was exactly the same when I was there some 40 years ago. Yeah, and certain referees as well. Well, yeah, exactly. Real Madrid TV make whole features on these referees and it goes out on television. Movies like sinister music in the background. You can imagine. I can remember. I mean, it's exacerbated massively because of social media now and you see it everywhere.

9:06So you note it more. But I remember when I was playing, every one of us at Barcelona were convinced there was, you know, the referees were completely on the side of Real Madrid and vice versa. But because it's the true bias, I always think, in these things is normally your own rather than perhaps the referee. Referees make mistakes, but I don't think that they deliberately go about their business on one side or the other. I genuinely don't. And the referees this weekend were wearing the retro ref shirts. Did you see it was retro weekend in La Liga? I didn't notice. I didn't notice that. Yeah, so they rolled back the years and they had the retro graphics on screen.

9:42They had the refs in there like with the high collars and then all the kits, except Real Madrid and Barcelona opted out, which I thought was a shame because there's been some brilliant shirts over the years. But I liked it. Oh, they could have brought that one back from the 80s that I wore. Do you have one? Do you have one in your cupboard at home? Yeah, I've got one. I've got one somewhere. I don't have no idea where it is, but I've definitely got one. Yeah, I like seeing it. Well, if there was one shirt you could wear again, sorry, I know this is off topic, but what shirt would you bring back?

10:15Of the ones that I wore? Yeah, yeah. I think it'd be hard not to be that Barcelona shirt because Blaugrana, so special. Was it baggy? Was it baggy? I was quite skinny back then. It wouldn't be baggy now.

10:33they were quite tight shorts were short in the 80s as well that's the one thing short shorts you know whereas now they're not nothing like as long but yeah was it baggy that's a good question I just feel like that's the main difference because these shirts are skis tight down I think you're going back to the 60s now aren't you I mean I'm old Alex but not that old no no not that old no it's Eight goals in, eight games for club and country for Ferdi Valverde. He's having a brilliant season, isn't he? And it was a great goal. It was very, very well-structured. I would blame the goalkeeper though.

11:10I mean, he's gone straight through. Gazzaniga. Yeah. Formerly of Spurs. Well, it sums up the way things are going for Spurs at the moment, whether past or present. And then it was Andri Lunin in goal for Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois still out injured. and yeah, Real Madrid's lead only lasted 11 minutes because we can call this one a goal, can't we? This was a really good finish. Yeah, Thomas Lemar, but no chance for Andri Lunin. He was never saving that and yeah, it was a brilliant equaliser. Is Courtois close? Yeah, I think so. I don't think it, it was never bad but I think they're just being cautious.

11:47I think it'd be important if they could get him fit to play in Munich because he's such a, he's such a big game player as well. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, so the Real Madrid faithful made their feelings known once again. A lot of boos and whistles, et cetera. White handkerchiefs. Yeah. I think the frustrations aren't aimed at Alvaro Albaloa. I do think he's still popular at the Real Madrid fan base and they appreciate the fact he's given some youngsters minutes this season. They've done well, some of those academy players as well. I think it was always just seen as Alvaro Albaloa was never going to be the long-term solution.

12:25he's coming to do a job until the end of the season. I think it's unlikely he'll be there at the start of next season, but I don't think that was ever the plan. Any rumours as to who it might be there yet? Well, they're saying they want Jurgen Klopp. Yeah. But I think the only way they'd get Jurgen Klopp would be if Florentino Perez took a backseat because the way he likes to be involved, you know, so, so, so involved, would never work with a manager like Jurgen Klopp. Yeah. So I think if Perez did decide to take a step back and let Jurgen Klopp do his thing, then it could be great. I'm not sure he would.

13:03He could just take a back seat. His ego is too big for that, I suspect. I noticed actually because watching the game in midweek against Bayern, most of the boos seemed to me was if either Mbappe or Vinicius Junior didn't score on a couple of opportunities. There was a lot of booing. I mean, normally it's like, oh, it was a near miss, but it was significant. Boos and whistles heard there, wasn't there? So they seem to be the main direction, the big stars. Yeah, yeah. And I think Arbelo actually came out and defended both of them after the game. He said, look, we're talking about two of the best players in the world and it's not about individuals here.

13:49we need to improve collectively as a team. So, yeah, I think it's harsh to target those two players because what would they do without them really? You know, they need them. And also, I think Jose was high on the list of managers. They'd try like until that Benfica-Venicius Junior incident game and he didn't help himself with what he said after the game, did he? And I think that changed everything for Real Madrid. That's a good point. I was talking to someone that says that the one person that Perez really misses as a man, as a manager, as a coach, call it what you like, was Jose. And he's the one that he's still slightly fixated on.

14:33I think Jose would have loved to go back as well. Oh, too right he would. He loves it, doesn't he, Jose? And he'd probably make a difference. But I think the game in midweek is the one. I don't think they can win the league now. I really don't. No. I can't see Barcelona, even if they lose the Clásico, I can't see them losing that many points. So, as it says on the front page of Marker, Munich or la nada? Or nada. Or nothing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Munich or nothing. I think the ass is like such a great name for a newspaper it says Aqui no se rinde nadie no one gives up and Real Madrid definitely don't give up in the Champions League there's something about them isn't there we've seen some incredible comebacks from Real Madrid in the competition and to be honest this doesn't even require a comeback we're not talking about a massive comeback there's one goal in it so we'll see but they'll need a massive performance in Munich against a really really good Bayern Munich team who might go all the way and win it.

15:35Well, let's see if ass is right. They're known for being a bit behind with their news. Sorry. That was a good one. That was good. That was good. It wasn't that good. It was good. Let's take a little break to get over it. You pushed hard today. Now give your body what it needs tonight. Before you drift off, reach for Icy Hot Nighttime Recovery Roll-On for fast-acting pain relief with a blend of lavender and eucalyptus. It'll help soothe muscles and joints while you sleep, supporting overnight recovery, setting you up for a stronger comeback the next day. After a painful day, make Icy Hot part of your nighttime recovery ritual.

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17:26Welcome back to the Rest is Football La Liga with Alex Algemi, Gary Lineker. Let's move on to Barcelona. Difficult week, as we mentioned in the first half, in the Champions League against Atletico. And they'll be looking ahead to that one. But a convincing win in La Liga in the local derby against Espanyol. Yep, yep. I was surprised actually that Pedri and Laminya Mal both played 90 minutes. 90 minutes, three days before the second leg of what was a huge game for them. And Hansi Flick was quite defiant post-match just saying, well, they've got time to recover. You know, they're professionals, they're athletes, they're fit.

18:09They'll be all right. I quite like that because, you know, the great players do tend to play all the minutes. Yeah. And I know there's a lot more rotation now and there's a lot more study done into players' injuries and whether they should be playing physios and doctors and people get more involved than they used to. But I quite like a bit of the old-fashioned stuff occasionally. Because to tell you, you can say you can rest this player and rest that player. But I tell you now, no one ever rested Messi. No one ever rested Ronaldo. They play 90 minutes every game and they do not want to come off.

18:43No players want to come off. And the real greats don't come off. They play and generally they don't get injured. I was a little bit surprised though with Yumao because obviously he's very tender age still. She's mad. It's crazy. And he has had kind of niggling injury this season. So, yeah. And Pedri's obviously broken down a few times. And I think Barcelona have to be slightly careful about overplaying them in their youth. Because obviously Ronaldo and Messi weren't necessary at this level playing this amount of football when they were in their teens. Yep. Another record for Laminya Mal as well.

19:25The youngest player to reach 100 La Liga games for Barcelona in La Liga history, which is crazy. 100 league games at 18 years old. It's actually crazy. I know we say it all the time, but hearing numbers, figures like that at 18 years old, played 100 La Liga matches. Yeah, defies belief really. I mean, the assist that he did and the weight of the pass, that little one he does with the outside of his foot and it's so good. I mean, he's... Yeah, two assists, wasn't it? And a goal. And a goal and yeah, cracking finish that one. But yeah, no, I thought Gabby was also really good in this game. It was his first start post-injury and he's obviously been out for a while.

20:13for a while and it didn't look like it at all. He was brilliant. He was so good. They're obviously missing Rafinha, they could do with him at the moment, couldn't they? But yeah, I thought Gavi had a great game. He did. Mark Strashford came off the bench. He came on for Gavi, didn't he? He had this chance. He was clean through but just couldn't finish it. I think it was one of those things like had he been on the pitch for a little bit longer when he had that chance, that one might have gone in. But he got his goal. He got his goal. I thought he was quite threatening against Atletico because obviously he did start that game and probably should have scored one.

20:46He was unlucky, got one just offside. Laminio Malle was offside, wasn't he? A disallowed goal in that game. I'd be interested to see if he starts him on Wednesday evening. I suspect he probably will. He hasn't had many starts, has he? But I feel like he deserves it. He does deserve it. He contributes when he comes on. And I thought he was one of their better players in midweek against Atletico as well. I think the 4-1 scoreline doesn't really reflect the game. Espanyol were in the game, but a lot of it and didn't make it easy for Barcelona. But one thing we know about Barcelona is that they score a lot of goals.

21:27They're averaging three goals at home a game this season, which is crazy. They do give up a lot of chances, but that's one of the reasons that they do score as many goals. And I know a lot of people, I mean, myself included, have been critical at times of the high line, but it does allow them to do what they do. And they're brilliant to watch. And there is, you know, they've got players that will take people on and individual stuff when the game has become slightly robotic. So you're not getting any criticism from me for Hansi Flick's style of football because, you know, it's brave, it's bold, it can be a little bit crazy at times, but it's wonderful to watch.

22:10And if there's a team that you want to watch in Europe at the moment, it's probably Barcelona, I would say. I think that they will turn things around in the Champions League as well. So does our friend Eric. Oh, go on. We didn't hear from Eric last week. We haven't spoken about... Oh, yeah, yeah, true. We haven't spoken about Atletico yet. Well, we don't really need to say much about Atletico again because he made a huge amount of changes. He's obviously completely focused. Yeah, he changed all 10 outfield players for that. So, very different approach to Hansi Flick. A very, very young team. Yeah, and they're going to get the Champions League anyway.

22:45They can't win the league. So, normally I'm not a big fan of that sort of thing. But in this case, I think that's absolutely, totally understandable. And Sevilla were like, thank you very much. We're in a relegation battle. So, we'll take that and we'll take a huge three points. Before we get to Eric, What's going on at Sevilla? It's always been such a successful club over so many years. And now the last two seasons, they've really struggled. Yeah, yeah. Fighting down the bottom of the table. Yeah, I've heard that Ramos wants to go back and... Sergio Ramos. Save the day. Sergio Ramos back to his boyhood club and buy the club and maybe play for them as well.

23:21So can Ramos save the day at Sevilla? Well, that'd be amazing. That'd be amazing. So it's mad, isn't it, that footballers now earn so much money they can actually buy football clubs. because he's not the only one that's involved in that. Obviously, Beckham being the main one. So, yeah, fascinating. Well, we'll keep our eye on that one. But yeah, come on, Eric. Eric, right. He's saying, so he says, dream result in the first leg. Nice to see Atleti finally win at the Camp Nou. And he said, Barca deserve more, which made it even more fun, Gary. Yes, all right. That was tightness at you. Yeah, all right.

23:55That aimed at you. But he says, far from over. and he remembers a 2-0 win against Juve. That was in the last 16 back in 2019. And Cristiano Ronaldo came along in the second leg, scored a hat-trick and they went through. But they do have an incredible record. I didn't realise just how good their record is in knockout stages of the Champions League. They have never lost at home in the knockout stages of the Champions League, which is, yeah, never. Wow. Yeah, 14 wins, seven draws. And then this is interesting actually. So of the 38 times in which your team has lost the Champions League first leg game 2-0 at home, on only one occasion have they come back from behind to qualify.

24:40And that was Manchester United against PSG in the round of 16 in 2018-19. And it was Marcus Rashford who scored United's third for the spot in the 94th minute. So he's like, I'm not a superstitious man, but Marcus Rashford's going to come on and score the third. or if he starts, he's going to score the third. Anyway, so he's not feeling hopeful. Shall we call him Opta Eric now? Opta Eric, yeah, all these stats. He's our new stats man. All these stats this morning, yeah, exactly. But no, I do think Barcelona go through. I really do. I'd like to think so, for obvious reasons. We know they can easily score three goals.

25:15Yes, but can they keep a clean sheet? Which I'd probably need to do, I would think. Or it goes to extra time. I think ordinarily you wouldn't think the team that have lost at home 2-0 in the first leg will have much chance but it is slightly different I think with Barcelona so they've got so much talent so we shall see look forward to watching that one that'll be really good and then the Copa del Rey final as well that's coming up next weekend so yeah which will not feature either Real Madrid or Barcelona which doesn't happen that often no and a massive opportunity for Diego Simeone to lift a trophy win another trophy yeah He's lifted a few over the years.