La Liga season review: The decisive day that turned La Liga title battle

Andy West 09:09 27/05/2015
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    • Team of the season: Barcelona.

    The 2014/15 La Liga campaign was a season of two halves for leading clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid.

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    Before Christmas, after overcoming a sluggish start Madrid were firmly in the ascendancy, compiling a 12-game winning run to take the advantage at the top.

    Throughout that period, Los Blancos were playing with confidence and purpose, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoring heroics ably supported by a solid team structure as Carlo Ancelotti found the balance he had always craved. 

    A well-deserved 3-1 home Clasico victory in October served to reflect Madrid’s early dominance, and the title seemed to be theirs to lose.

    Barca, meanwhile, were drifting, relying on individual heroics to eke out victories but looking anything but convincing on a collective level, with a horrible performance in a home loss to Celta Vigo demonstrating the huge work needed.

    The turning point, however, can be pinpointed to one very specific day: Sunday 4 January, as action resumed after the Christmas break.

    A few hours after Madrid had seen their long unbeaten run ended with a 2-1 defeat at Valencia, Barca also lost, going down 1-0 at Real Sociedad after Lionel Messi and Neymar both started on the bench.

    From that point onwards, the two title challengers headed in different directions. Losing at the Anoeta provided the crisis that Barca needed, forcing them to confront the issues that had been dragging the team down.  

    Amid rumours that Messi had fallen out with Enrique and was considering leaving, decisive action was taken: Messi was given (or gave himself – it remains 
    unclear) a new position on the right wing, with Luis Suarez installed at centre forward.

    Ivan Rakitic was firmly instated as first choice in midfield, and Enrique stopped his interminable rotation policy.

    With a growing sense of team identity begetting new-found consistency, results duly followed.

    A 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid was a clear sign of intent, and Barca never looked back, winning nearly every remaining game and looking better with each passing week.

    Madrid, meanwhile, failed to heed the warning of their early-January loss at Valencia, brushing it off as ‘one of those things’ and allowing themselves to lapse further.

    A 4-0 thrashing at Atletico in February was the nadir, and a series of ill-timed injuries provided further unwanted disruption to a team which had clearly lost its way.

    Madrid spent the remaining months of the season treading water, and Barca’s title triumph was fully merited. 

    Reigning champions Atletico Madrid endured a mixed campaign – still capable of beating anyone on their day but lacking the ruthless consistency which delivered the title 12 months ago. 

    Still, Atletico succeeded in manager Diego Simeone’s stated aim of finishing third, holding off spirited challenges from Valencia and Sevilla, who could get even better.

    That is especially the case for Valencia, whose new owner Peter Lim has provided the financial might to keep hold of star players.

    If they can add a few more pieces in the summer – another dominant midfielder, in particular – they will be a force to be reckoned with.

    Elsewhere, the biggest disappointment was Athletic Bilbao’s failure to build on the previous campaign’s fourth-placed finish, although a strong end to the season could yet see them lift silverware with the Copa del Rey final.

    Player of the season

    LIONEL MESSI

    After a relatively quiet 2013/14 campaign, Lionel Messi has bounced back to his very best, inspiring Barcelona’s title triumph with 43 goals and 18 assists.

    Best young player

    JOSE GAYA

    The left-back has been superb, earning a new deal to fend off Real Madrid’s interest.

    Best signing

    LUIS SUAREZ

    A major reason behind Messi’s brilliance has been the presence of Suarez, whose intelligent movement and strong work ethic has reinvigorated Barca’s attacking play.

    Best goal

    SAUL BERJON

    Relegated Eibar provided the season’s most spectacular moment in a rainswept encounter with Levante when Saul Berjon thrashed a 20- yard volley of sublime perfection into the top corner.

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