Watching Almería v Eibar on Sunday afternoon was like being invited temporarily into the kitchen below the mansion – an upstairs-downstairs type of experience. Down there in the basement, where the aristocrats visit only on occasions, the serfs are made to sweat and toil. They feed those in the mansion above by dint of their very existence, but despite the distance from the top floor they are desperate to keep their jobs. The match, won by Almería 2-0, was an entertaining dog-eat-dog affair, featuring two teams embroiled in the same struggle to retain their top-flight mansion status, handicapped by the slings and arrows of circumstance. The result of the game threatens Eibar’s survival prospects even further, and brought into rude perspective a game sandwiched between Barcelona’s derby triumph at Espanyol on Saturday, and Real Madrid’s game at Celta on Sunday night – both apparently conditioned by the greater glories on offer in the Champions League (more of that later).
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However, whilst the glutton aristocrats feed on, the ambitions of the paupers begin to fall flat, as if they should never have really believed in them in the first place. Eibar’s dreams, seams and season are beginning to unravel, as one always suspected they might. Almería, a team from a larger urban context but also a minnow in terms of historical achievements in La Liga, were simply a bit quicker, a bit smarter on the break. Their striker Thievy, a player whose turn of speed is as dangerous and frightening as his haircut, may finally end his on-loan status from Espanyol if he can perform more consistently in this fashion.
If Almería’s deducted three points are restored, they will now have 31, the same as Eibar. But aside from the temporary hitch of their visit to the Bernabéu this coming Wednesday, Almería seem to be on the way up and Eibar passing them on the way down, their hot-air balloon hopelessly deflated. On Wednesday they entertain Sevilla in Ipurua – the in-form team of the league, unbeaten since February. It’s not that Eibar don’t ‘belong’ in the top flight. The laws of competitive sport dictate that everyone has a chance and that possibility is everything, but social circumstances and financial developments have made an adventure like Eibar’s more and more difficult to both realise and then sustain. Let’s not sing their requiem just yet, but it ain’t looking good. After Sevilla they visit Valencia, which means that they will almost certainly need to win their final three games to stay in the kitchen.
Let’s not talk these teams down either. The football on offer at the Almería match was far from poor. Eibar actually played well, but lacked imagination and quality in the final pass. The game serves this column’s purpose, however, as a fitting contrast to the wonders on show at Balaídos, home of Celta on Sunday night. I would stake a decent bet on Almería and Eibar surviving the English Premier League, but the consistent quality of the 90 minutes on offer at the Celta game make you realise just how good La Liga can be. I won’t crow too much about the relatively heavy presence of Spain’s sides in the latter stages of European competition in the last few seasons, but the data is undeniable. And there were times in the late game on Sunday night when Celta, lying in 9th position and with little hope of a European berth, looked like a top European outfit.
Some of Celta’s football was spectacular, with one-touch vertical tiki-taka played at dizzying speed. When the excellent Nolito scored the opener after an anarchic dribble, you feared the worst for Madrid, with visions of Barcelona strolling to an uncontested and premature title popping into view. It was a tough moment for the visitors, mindful of Barcelona’s majestic dismissal of Espanyol the previous evening, still emotionally tired after the stresses and strains of the Champions League derby in midweek, and wary of a Celta side who had more or less ended their hopes of the title last season, on the same ground. They were also without three members of the Praetorian guard; Gareth Bale (for whom the wide acres of Balaídos space were well suited), Luka Modric and Karim Benzema.
Javier ‘Little Pea’ Hernandez saved the day for @realmadriden last night. Here he is! #UCL @Anhopi @CH14_ pic.twitter.com/sz2BxHXddU
— Sport360° (@Sport360) April 23, 2015
So like them or loathe them, you had to admire Real’s ability to bounce back almost immediately, and to go 2-1 in front before Santi Mina equalised before half-time. Again, in the second half, Celta played some fine stuff but Madrid were powerful and accurate on the break. Chicharito Hernandez’ second goal – culminating a happy week for the Mexican on-loan forward – was a devastating piece of minimalist efficiency. Sergio Ramos’ long pass with the outside of his boot was startlingly good, as was Chicharito’s one-touch take down, movement and clinical shot. The little chap is looking happier, as well he might. After scoring the decisive goal in midweek against Atlético, he scored two again, which keeps his current team in touching distance of Barcelona and keeps the league alive. Had Celta won this game, then it would have been difficult to have denied the destination of the league title. But the competition is still open, and Chicharito is probably dreaming of a contract for next season. It rains less in Madrid than in Manchester, and the folks speak his language.
On Sunday morning, the Madrid-based papers were trotting out the lame argument that Madrid were probably more interested in the Champions League anyway, as if they wished to soften the potential blow of the awkward-looking visit to Celta. Madrid’s general record is not a good one there, and neither was Carlo Ancelotti’s, having lost there last season and previously with both AC Milan and Juventus. Now that the obstacle has been overcome, the midweek ‘jornada’ will be viewed as an annoying obligation (Madrid entertain Almería and Barcelona welcome Getafe) before the real business next weekend, with the complicating factor of the Champions League slots in that following midweek. Barcelona visit bottom club Cordoba in the opening game of Saturday and then four hours later their players can watch on TV as Real Madrid attempt to emerge unscathed from their visit to Sevilla. It’s not looking good for Madrid, with Sevilla exultant and chasing a Champions League place themselves. You get the distinct feeling that this week is going to settle something, and it looks like it might be in Barcelona’s favour.
Credit to the leaders too, for making an equally awkward-looking visit to Espanyol an eventual walkover. Espanyol are not playing particularly well, but they remain unpredictable, capable of pulling a fine performance out of the hat when you’re least expecting it. On hostile territory, out on the outskirts of the city, Barcelona have fallen before to their neighbour’s alleged sympathy towards Real Madrid, and were taking nothing for granted. They needn’t have worried, and the game was sealed after 25 minutes with goals from Neymar and Lionel Messi. This was their 20th away win of the season in all competitions, which is a new club record.
Perhaps the only negative note of the week for them was the draw for the Champions League semi-finals. The last time they drew Bayern Munich, the aggregate score of 7-0 was hailed as the end of the Barcelona era. The announcement of their demise was premature, but this time the coach of the German side is none other than Pep Guardiola. It was only a matter of time before destiny’s winds blew him back to the Camp Nou, but his presence on the bench on May 6 will have the flash-bulbs popping like corn in a microwave.
Upstairs it’s all happening, and downstairs too – but in the next couple of weeks you’ll be forgiven for focusing on the former.
