Barcelona have nine finals left. That’s the message Joan Laporta is running with following the Blaugrana’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico last night, and that’s the message that’s being felt in the dressing room according to Diario Sport.
The Madrid defeat is Barcelona’s second in the last four months of La Liga action, putting an end to a magnificent run domestically by Ronald Koeman’s men. They were eleven points behind Atletico Madrid at one point, but are now breathing down their necks. The players don’t feel defeated by the reverse. They feel confident that but for a couple of fine details the points could have been theirs. They know there’s still football to be played.
The Barcelona dressing room are focused on winning their final eight league games, and believe that both of their rivals for the title from the Spanish capital will slip up at some stage. Atletico are in poor form compared to their early-season selves, while Madrid are still competing in the Champions League.
We have eight matches ahead to achieve our objective of winning la Liga. I have no doubt that our team will fight until the end. Visca el Barça!
— Joan Laporta Estruch🎗 (@JoanLaportaFCB) April 10, 2021
El Clasico’s done and dusted, but Barcelona can win a title next weekend when they face Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Copa del Rey at La Cartuja. Should they pull that off, they’ll go into their massive showdown with Atletico in La Liga at Camp Nou on May 9th with a good deal of optimism and confidence.
