Real Madrid are champions after three torrid years of strife and sorrow - The Warm-Up
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Updated 17/07/2020 at 08:16 GMT
Zinedine Zidane guided Real Madrid to a first Liga title in three years and just cannot stop winning trophies.
Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane and captain Sergio Ramos pose with the La Liga trophy after Madrid secure the La Liga title during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Villarreal CF at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on July 16, 2020 in Madrid, Spa
Image credit: Getty Images
FRIDAY’S BIG STORIES
¡Hala Madrid!
Yes, the long title drought is over. Three torrid years of strife and sorrow; three long years of Barcelona dominance. But brave little Madrid never lost hope, and now they have their reward: title no. 34. Thirty-four. What a large number.
You’d be lying if you said it had been pretty. There’s been the odd spawny penalty here and there. But since returning from lockdown they’ve rolled out 10 wins in 10 games to breeze past the defending champions, who simply could not keep up. As if to neatly illustrate the state of things, while Madrid were larking around with trick penalties against Villareal, Barca were contriving to lose to 10-man Osasuna.
That’s another major trophy for Zinedine Zidane, who cannot stop winning things. In four full seasons as manager he’s picked up two titles and three Champions Leagues, with the possibility of a fourth still just about alive. He may have been most admired for his elegance and imagination as a player, but as a manager he’s picking up silverware with brutal efficiency.
Over in Catalonia, meanwhile, it’s time for more self-reflection and self-flagellation. Lionel Messi is not happy, and it’s hard to blame him: for once it’s the Catalan super-club that look like the expensive pile of players thrown together without plan or purpose. Fortunately, it’s going to be a shorter summer, so there’s only so many “Messi To City?!?!?” rumours we’ll have to get through.
"We didn't want to end La Liga this way, but it reflects how our year went. We were an inconsistent, weak team, teams beat us for intensity and scored against us easily. We lost a lot of points where we shouldn't have," says Messi.
"I said a while ago that if we carried on like that it would be really difficult to win the Champions League and it hasn't even been enough to win Liga. If we don't react, we won't beat Napoli."
Wamford, Bamford, Thank You Ma’amford
It’s been sixteen-years plus change since Leeds United were in the Premier League; a restless and unhappy giant that lived the dream and then reaped the nightmare. Not that League One’s a nightmare, really. Perfectly respectable league. Get over yourself. “Nightmare”.
But anyway. They’re five points clear of second and six points clear of third with two games to go. Nothing can possibly go wrong now!
Their 1-0 win over Barnsley wasn’t pretty, or particularly convincing, but nobody’s going to give a toss about that if West Brom drop points tonight, or Leeds pick up the final point they need. And if even the prospect of Leeds back in the top flight leaves you cold, then a term of Marcelo Bielsa cutting about the place must surely appeal. Embracing Pep Guardiola. Shaking hands with Sean Dyche. Facing down Mike Dean.
Very Annoying Replays
It might just be that a three-month break has led to forgetfulness, but it seems as though the Premier League’s use of VAR been markedly weirder since the league started up again.
As ever, Manchester United are in the thick of things. Against Southampton, the all-seeing eye made nothing of Oriel Romeu’s ankle-height interception of Mason Greenwood. But they were the beneficiaries yesterday against Crystal Palace: we don’t know for sure if Victor Lindelof fouled Wilfried Zaha in the area, but it certainly looked a lot like he did. Hey, perhaps these things do balance out.
There was also one of those marginal offsides, the kind that no human could ever have given either way with any confidence. The kind that interrupts the game for a spot of technical drawing. The kind that everybody hates, whoever they support, because it takes what should be the most exciting or enraging moment of the game and carefully, slowly, let’s all the air out.
On other hand, the race for fourth is still nice and tight, and Marcus Rashford is basically Romario now. Palace’s defence really should see a doctor, if they’re going to keep falling over like this.
IN OTHER NEWS
Shout out to Arthur: he may be off to Juventus come the end of the season, but he’s really making the most of his last few days with Barcelona.
RETRO CORNER
It’s 26 years since the World Cup final served up its first 0-0 draw, in the hammering sunshine of Pasadena. Roberto Baggio’s penalty became the iconic moment, but the Warm-Up had completely forgotten about Franco Baresi’s earlier spot kick, which went soaring along much the same trajectory. You had a warning, Roberto! You had a warning!
HAT TIP
If you’re searching for a free-scoring Serie A side to get behind, and Atalanta are just too mainstream for your refined tastes, why not consider Sassuolo? Here’s the Guardian’s Nicky Bandini to tell you all about Italy’s other most fun team.
They were playing Chumbawamba on repeat in Reggio Emilia again on Wednesday night. Sassuolo have used the late-90s anthem, Tubthumping, as their goal celebration music ever since they moved into the Mapei Stadium in 2013. The song, with its “I get knocked down, but I get up again” chorus, was intended by the English band as a celebration of “the resilience of ordinary people”. This week, even more than usual, it felt like a fitting choice.
COMING UP
West Brom are away at Huddersfield Town, and anything other than a win for the Baggies will send Leeds to the Premier League. Aston Villa didn’t beat Everton, so tonight’s West Ham-Watford game isn’t quite the 256-pointer it was threatening to be. And the National League playoffs begin with Boreham Wood vs. Halifax Town.
Here on Monday to get your week going with a bang, it’ll be some chancer called Andi Thomas.
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