Real's Path to Despair

If Barcelona defeats Osasuna in Pamplona this weekend and Real Madrid fails to win against Espanyol, the La Liga championship will once again belong to Hansi Flick's team.

The 94th-minute goal by Hector Bellerin, a former Barcelona player, also ended all discussions about the La Liga title. Real left La Cartuja with one point and an undeniable feeling that the season slipped away from them due to the 1-1 draw against Betis.

Two Distinct Paths

Within just two months, they went from holding their own destiny in their hands to witnessing Barcelona pull away by 11 points, after Flick's team secured nine consecutive victories. The gap is now too large to calculate or nurture any illusions.

A championship race that seemed poised to become exciting from the start of the season due to the reigning champion's decline caused by issues like injuries, Lamine Yamal falling into a whirlwind of criticism, and personal life controversies, especially after the Galaxy's 2-1 victory in the first-leg Clásico at Bernabeu with Kylian Mbappe's dazzling performance.

Everything was truly favorable until consecutive defeats occurred in La Liga and the Champions League, along with the fractured relationship between Xabi Alonso and Vinicius, pushing the white-clad team toward self-destruction. Florentino Perez added fuel to the fire by implicitly acknowledging the influence of the Brazilian forward and denying the capability of the club legend.

Barcelona at this time wasn't truly better either. They still faced setbacks due to declining football quality. A series of injury issues and football philosophy problems pushed the Catalan team into a difficult situation. But the Catalan team didn't have major internal issues, wasn't disrupted mentally, and maintained consistency in the dressing room.

The difference was significant for Real, who decided to change with a new "helmsman," Alvaro Arbeloa. Perhaps, much of this replacement was to appease Vinicius. That could be a mistake overall.

When the 43-year-old coach arrived, Real regained some momentum. Tensions were eased, the whole team was freed from suspicion and insecurity. The number 7 became decisive again, and the Galaxy achieved what seemed impossible: Taking the top spot in the 24th round, when Barcelona stumbled at Girona.

But that lasted only one week. Real then lost to Osasuna, the stadium that Barcelona will also visit this weekend, due to Raul Garcia's goal for the home team in the 90th minute. From then on, the team gradually lost momentum while the champion continuously secured victories. Osasuna wasn't the only one contributing to dragging Arbeloa's team down into the depths of disappointment.

The Arbeloa Effect Ends

The Copa del Rey slipped away due to defeat against Albacete just when Arbeloa was beginning to "shine." The race for the championship became increasingly difficult. And when both fronts were nearly concluded, the Champions League became the last hope in a season where Real desperately needed a title.

Few believed in the team's ability to advance far, but the players responded by displaying true grit against Man City, crushing the opponent at Bernabeu and securing victory at Etihad. But Bayern Munich was a different story, pulling the Galaxy back down to earth.

The return leg in Munich was particularly painful. Real led 3-2, Camavinga received his second yellow card at the most critical moment, two goals in the final minutes became a shock for the team's fans at Allianz. Real fought until the end, but honor didn't guarantee victory.

What followed was a "collapse" in La Liga. The team fell at Mallorca, was held to a draw by Girona at home, struggled to win against Alaves, and finally was held by Betis. Arbeloa has a win rate of 60.9% in 23 matches leading the club, among the lowest among coaches who have managed Real for at least 20 matches since Bernd Schuster was dismissed in 2008 with a win rate of 59%.

Arbeloa also lost more points in La Liga compared to Xabi Alonso during his brief tenure. The "Arbeloa effect" was real for a few weeks. But it soon vanished like morning dew. Now, what Real tries to do is slow Barcelona's march toward the championship, at least prolong it until the end of the Clásico (May 10), if they don't want to line up in two rows in the honor ceremony for the champion right at Camp Nou.