Madrid (Spain) – Dec 1 (LatestNewsX)
Real Madrid missed the chance to win on the road and slipped off the top of La Liga, letting FC Barcelona take the lead. Atlético Madrid and Villarreal also closed the points gap after the last round of matches over the weekend.
Barcelona sit in first place, having accumulated 34 points from 11 victories, one draw and two losses in 14 games. Real Madrid trail just a single point behind with 10 wins, three draws and one defeat, also from 14 matches.
Villarreal hold the third spot, while Atlético Madrid is fourth on 31 points. Real Betis lags further back in fifth with 24 points, according to Xinhua.
### What we learned from the weekend in Spain
#### 1. A four‑team title race?
Real Madrid’s lackluster outing continued as Barça surged ahead early in the title battle, following three home draws. The Spanish side struggled to move the ball quickly, letting Girona keep a solid defence that limited chances. The draw has left the title contenders separated by only three points—a situation that felt unlikely after Real’s 12‑point cushion over Atlético at the end of September. The parity, however, has made the campaign far more thrilling.
#### 2. Raphinha’s key role for Barcelona
While headlines often celebrate Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s star Brazilian forward Raphinha is arguably the club’s most pivotal player, excelling in both attack and defence. He returned to his best form in Barcelona’s 3‑1 home win over Deportivo Alavés, setting up the opening two goals for Yamal and Dani Olmo. Beyond scoring and assisting, Raphinha’s relentless work rate helps stifle opponents. His pressing pressure forces rivals into risky ball‑handling from the back, making it harder for them to build attacks against Barça’s towering defence. Though a forward, his defensive contributions are indispensable.
#### 3. Sorloth offers options for Atlético
Despite signing the prolific Alexander Sorloth from Villarreal in the summer of 2024, Atlético supporters have struggled to embrace him fully. Yet Sorloth’s goal tally—20 this past league season and four so far—speaks volumes, with two of those pertaining to Saturday’s convincing home win over Oviedo. Head coach Diego Simeone noted that Sorloth’s presence allows the team to switch between an aerial long‑ball strategy and a more compact build‑up, and his presence also eased the workload for Julian Alvarez before the upcoming clash with Barça. More recognition arguably goes to Sorloth.
#### 4. Two sides to Villarreal’s story
Alberto Moleiro’s late strike secured a 3‑2 victory for Villarreal in away form at Real Sociedad, after Ander Barrenetxea’s free‑kick had seemed to ensure a draw. The win briefly propelled Villarreal to second place (before Real Madrid won in Girona) and kept them firmly in title contention. The stark contrast between the club’s domestic form and its European campaign—just one point from 15 matches—remains puzzling. This disparity could become useful in the season’s second half, as Villarreal may be able to rotate players with less load than teams like Barça, Real, and Atlético that play twice a week.
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