Dutch master Johan Cruyff wrote in his weekly column in El Periódico de Catalunya that FC Barcelona are still in with a great chance of the Liga title...
The blaugrana have cut the deficit at the top of the Liga to four, and with one match against leaders Real Madrid still remaining, Cruyff believes it possible for that gap to be overturned entirely.He wrote, "It's not necessary to throw away the Liga for the Champions League... How many Liga games are left? Nine matchdays? 27 points.
"Madrid are just four points ahead. Everything is open and nothing is lost. Not only that, but if we can win at the Bernabeu then it'll be one point - and why not? We can have a better goal difference. This isn't a crazy scenario."
Barça are out of the Copa - something that he believes can work in the side's favour.
"Imagine that Barcelona had managed a late goal at the Mestalla (in the semi-final) to go through to the final," he mused.
"The same scenario, the same match, the same failures, but a late goal in extremis to the final.
"In the end they get there, but lose: they play well but have a habit of losing it. Then what? When do you play the Champions League quarters? Immediately prior to the Cup final... Now things are clearer.
"Let's be positive. Who can do something to straighten Barça's direction? Players and coaches. Goodbye, Cup. OK. There are two titles left and it's time to go for them. Throw nothing overboard. Be who you are, recognise what's missing, and remove excuses."
Positivity
Indeed, there are two titles left to fight for - and he expects at least one of them.
"I don't know if this is the case for the current Barça, but in theory, the ones who would go for a second year without winning anything would have a huge failure," he said.
"In their favour is that there is no going back for the other side. Barça won at Valladolid, but Madrid lost, and it's back down to four points.
"The key to success? Playing as a team. I'm not talking about movement and running, because they're already doing that: too much, and mistiming it, in fact.
"I mean that we need to go back to basics. The goalkeeper must save; the defenders must defend; the mdifielders must do as they do and the forwards pick it up. The central midfielders? One or two taps, then get the ball up front quickly."
