La Liga 2013-2014

They couldn't even get their game up against the likes of Getafe and Elche with the title on the line (nor for the CL QF 2nd leg or the CdR Final)... Now they HAVE to beat an opponent they haven't beaten in 5 meetings this season (and only scored against twice). Barça might well do it, but I certainly wouldn't bet on it. A draw all day would be my prediction. Mainly because Atlético can just approach this game the way it suits them the most (cf. Chelsea 2nd leg). You could be right when you say that if Barça score first it could be curtains... conversely, I feel that if they haven't scored by the 60th minute it's not gonna happen.

Yep, I would concur. There is no magical switch to flip on when you feel like it, either you're in form or you're not and Barcelona are lacking both form & confidence atm - which is hard to fathom really and speaks to how recklessly this board has derailed the greatest era for the club

I see a draw but more than anything I'd love to see Barcelona approach the match a bit differently than the 5 times they've previously tried to win and failed against the rojiblancos
 
Simeone has confirmed that Diego Costa is fit and will start tomorrow, great boost for Atlético.

The Barça news is that Piqué, Neymar and Alba have all been given the medical green light for tomorrow.
 
Simeone has confirmed that Diego Costa is fit and will start tomorrow, great boost for Atlético.

The Barça news is that Piqué, Neymar and Alba have all been given the medical green light for tomorrow.

Pique will most likely play tomorrow. Neymar and Alba are huge doubts. They barely got the medical clearance, and I do not think they will be match fit.

More news from Spain: Luis Enrique announces that he is leaving Celta Vigo, Messi will be signing his new Barca contract next week, and the Camp Nou is sold out despite the extremely expensive prices for tickets.

Also, Ronaldo is well and wants to play against Espanyol so that he can overtake Luis Suarez for the European Golden shoe. The club are not that excited by such a prospect though.
 
Pique will most likely play tomorrow. Neymar and Alba are huge doubts. They barely got the medical clearance, and I do not think they will be match fit.

More news from Spain: Luis Enrique announces that he is leaving Celta Vigo, Messi will be signing his new Barca contract next week, and the Camp Nou is sold out despite the extremely expensive prices for tickets.

Also, Ronaldo is well and wants to play against Espanyol so that he can overtake Luis Suarez for the European Golden shoe. The club are not that excited by such a prospect though.
Wait, hasn't Ronaldo scored 40+ this season.
 
Bricking it for Atletico tomorrow. Messi already said they want to win it for Tito and maybe just maybe Barca have that one big performance left in them to end the season, regardless of how bad they have been lately. This is no mans land for Altetico players and it has shown recently. Earlier in the season Malaga would have been dispatched with ease but the players nerves looked unbearable at times. If they lose tomorrow, no shame in it but it will feel like a crushing blow considering they were a goal away from winning It last Sunday. That's why I see Barca as favourites. They know how to deal with big games, and Atletico just look completely drained physically, and maybe mentally too. Hope I am wrong though. I guess even if they do lose, they still have some bragging rights over the big city neighbours.
 
Barca are definitely favourites for me. It will be close but I'll go for a 2-1 Barca win tomorrow.
 
We are referring to league goals, in relation to which the golden shoe is awarded. In La Liga, Ronaldo has scored 31 goals. He has also scored 3 in the Spanish Cup, and 16 (!) in the Champions League.
I see! Well there's no reason why he can't get the golden shoe!
 
Barca will summon up all their brilliance to perform when it matters. Atletico only have themselves to blame, they should have had this title wrapped up by now.
 
Bricking it for Atletico tomorrow. Messi already said they want to win it for Tito and maybe just maybe Barca have that one big performance left in them to end the season, regardless of how bad they have been lately. This is no mans land for Altetico players and it has shown recently. Earlier in the season Malaga would have been dispatched with ease but the players nerves looked unbearable at times. If they lose tomorrow, no shame in it but it will feel like a crushing blow considering they were a goal away from winning It last Sunday. That's why I see Barca as favourites. They know how to deal with big games, and Atletico just look completely drained physically, and maybe mentally too. Hope I am wrong though. I guess even if they do lose, they still have some bragging rights over the big city neighbours.

A last hurrah for the current Barcelona set-up would be awesome! As tough as it would be for the valiant Atletico players and managers.
 
I see! Well there's no reason why he can't get the golden shoe!

If there's any doubt over his fitness (don't know if there is myself), he shouldn't play, record or not. He's already rushed back a few times over the past few months, it would be stupid to do so with the Champions League next week and the World Cup beyond that.
 
Apparently the trophy won't be handed to the winning side tomorrow night because the LFP president is currently overseas :lol:

Suits Atletico though, if they win of course.
 
Bricking it for Atletico tomorrow. Messi already said they want to win it for Tito and maybe just maybe Barca have that one big performance left in them to end the season, regardless of how bad they have been lately. This is no mans land for Altetico players and it has shown recently. Earlier in the season Malaga would have been dispatched with ease but the players nerves looked unbearable at times. If they lose tomorrow, no shame in it but it will feel like a crushing blow considering they were a goal away from winning It last Sunday. That's why I see Barca as favourites. They know how to deal with big games, and Atletico just look completely drained physically, and maybe mentally too. Hope I am wrong though. I guess even if they do lose, they still have some bragging rights over the big city neighbours.
I think we could say the same about Barca's performance against Elche. The big thing will be whether Atletico have ran out of gas or whether they've still got two big performances left in them. If they're fresh, I think they'll nullify Barca again.
 
Bricking it for Atletico tomorrow. Messi already said they want to win it for Tito and maybe just maybe Barca have that one big performance left in them to end the season, regardless of how bad they have been lately. This is no mans land for Altetico players and it has shown recently. Earlier in the season Malaga would have been dispatched with ease but the players nerves looked unbearable at times. If they lose tomorrow, no shame in it but it will feel like a crushing blow considering they were a goal away from winning It last Sunday. That's why I see Barca as favourites. They know how to deal with big games, and Atletico just look completely drained physically, and maybe mentally too. Hope I am wrong though. I guess even if they do lose, they still have some bragging rights over the big city neighbours.

Very deservedly, Atletico will go in as favorites as I think it's still on Barcelona to win against an opponent they may have barely lost to once in 5 meetings but have failed to play as well as they think they can. There's a mental edge at play that can't be discounted, even for this special group of players. Barcelona have already had must win situations against them on no less than 3 of their 5 previous meetings and failed to impose their quality over Madrid in any of them. In one of the others, I believe they were satisfied with the draw and the other they were defeated before they even got on the pitch, IMHO

On top of everything else there are many mental blows the team has already gone through nevermind Tito's passing. The body language for me says it all - they look down. Maybe they will appreciate the incredibly unique occasion to win a league title on the last day at home and show their quality and certainly they have it in them but I haven't seen that sort of performance from them often this season. No idea what to expect
 
Bricking it for Atletico tomorrow. Messi already said they want to win it for Tito and maybe just maybe Barca have that one big performance left in them to end the season, regardless of how bad they have been lately. This is no mans land for Altetico players and it has shown recently. Earlier in the season Malaga would have been dispatched with ease but the players nerves looked unbearable at times. If they lose tomorrow, no shame in it but it will feel like a crushing blow considering they were a goal away from winning It last Sunday. That's why I see Barca as favourites. They know how to deal with big games, and Atletico just look completely drained physically, and maybe mentally too. Hope I am wrong though. I guess even if they do lose, they still have some bragging rights over the big city neighbours.

At least they don't seem too down about it... Lovely quote from the Atlético captain, Gabi, today: "You don't deserve titles, you win them."
 
0-0 or 1-0 is what I predict. Barca have really struggled to break teams down and Atletico has had their number all season, it will be a great game.
 
Very deservedly, Atletico will go in as favorites as I think it's still on Barcelona to win against an opponent they may have barely lost to once in 5 meetings but have failed to play as well as they think they can. There's a mental edge at play that can't be discounted, even for this special group of players. Barcelona have already had must win situations against them on no less than 3 of their 5 previous meetings and failed to impose their quality over Madrid in any of them. In one of the others, I believe they were satisfied with the draw and the other they were defeated before they even got on the pitch, IMHO

On top of everything else there are many mental blows the team has already gone through nevermind Tito's passing. The body language for me says it all - they look down. Maybe they will appreciate the incredibly unique occasion to win a league title on the last day at home and show their quality and certainly they have it in them but I haven't seen that sort of performance from them often this season. No idea what to expect
Nevertheless, the team has shown over the past six years that they can perform under pressure, and in the biggest of games. That mentality has been sadly lacking this season, but I'm hoping they show some balls for this final game - it won't save the season, because it's been a poor show almost all the way through, but at the very least we'll have bottled it less than the others then.

Oh, and I'm absolutely pissed off that they moved the match to today - I had very specifically made no plans for tomorrow, but now I'll be stuck in the middle of nowhere during the match. Bastards.
 
Some factors going against us going into the league final:

1. Many, if not most of our players know full well they will not be playing for the club next season. That is not to imply that they won't take the game seriously, but I feel that some of them have already lost their focus somewhat.

2. We have not beaten Atletico in 5 attempts this season.

3. Neymar will probably not be playing, the only Barcelona player that has actually scored against them all season long.

4. Virtually all of our players will be at the World Cup, many of them as the main men for their respective nations. This has been a main negative factor for the team for months now in my opinion, and will potentially affect us in this game as well, with the World Cup less than a month away.


Some factors going for us:

1. Atletico are showing signs of fatigue, both physical and mental.

2. Camp Nou. 100,000 seats sold out.

3. We have lots of players with genuine quality. If they can get their act together for the better part of 90mns, then we have to be heavy favourites.
 
2 big games for Atletico in a week, could be a case of Leverkusen 02, who were on for a league/cup/European treble and didn't win a thing.
 
This is it. I'm firmly in the Atletico corner tonight. They've been incredible this season and I don't think Barca, given their talent, deserve it as much as them.
 
37 games and 9 months later and it all comes down to one match. It always looked like a potentially decisive game but I don't think anyone predicted how decisive. If Barcelona win, it's their title. Any other result and it's Atletico's.

Relegation gets settled by the 5pm (UK) kickoffs tomorrow. Betis are already down. Osasuna and Valladolid are 2/3 points behind the other endangered ones. Valladolid can relegate Granada by winning their match, but if Osasuna win, Vallodolid may save Osasuna rather than themselves. Because of head to heads, there are still several permutations.

Saturday 17th May 2014
Real Madrid V Espanyol 15:00
Barcelona V Atlético Madrid 17:00
Valencia CF V Celta de Vigo 21:00

Sunday 18th May 2014
Real Sociedad V Villarreal 11:00
Almería V Athletic Bilbao 17:00
Osasuna V Real Betis 17:00
Rayo Vallecano V Getafe 17:00
Real Valladolid V Granada CF 17:00
Sevilla V Elche 20:00

So, will Messi celebrate his new contract in style?
Will Diego Costa win a Liga before he gets sold?

It's hard to see anything other than an incredibly nervous, twitchy game decided on a mistake - but who knows. It's certainly nobody's walkover.
 
That was jo with the sports news; now, here's the weather with Mrs Cina:

6a00d83451586c69e201311003bfff970c-200wi.jpg
 
They were saying on SSN that about three weeks back some bookmakers had Barca at a 100/1 to win La Liga... did any of you put money on them at that time?
 
Those looking for omens for the CL final. Real Madrid start today with:
Casillas; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Illarramendi, Khedira, Di María; Bale, Cristiano y Benzema

Khedira back after 6 months with an ACL is obviously the intriguing one. Ancelotti is looking for someone to replace Alonso in the final. This may well a straight audition between Khedira and Illarra. Pepe's still expected to be available just in time for the final. Modric and Coentrao are on the bench.
 
How does the away allocation system work in Spain? So low tickets for Atletico.

There's no minimum % set.

It's not usually a big issue because there's not much tradition of travelling away fans outside a few Copa and European matches and some of the derby games. Travel times tend to be quite long, the teams fly to almost all their aways. Worst still La Liga schedules matches as early as 12 noon and as late as 10pm (even the odd one later) Friday night to Monday. Sometimes they don't fix a day/time until a week before the match.

Of course for a game like this, it's in the home team's favour not to do the away club any favours...

I wouldn't be surprised to see a minimum % come into force next year though.