The Spanish daily Diario AS has revealed the performance summary of Barça and Real Madrid since the famous Clasico on 26 October at the Santiago Bernabéu. Unsurprisingly, the news is bitter for the Catalans, who have completely collapsed, in stark contrast to Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
La Liga is on a break. With just a few days left before the end of 2024, Spanish clubs will pause to allow players to rest and, most importantly, celebrate with their loved ones. Before this ten-day break, the 18th round of matches, marking the halfway point of the season, was played over the weekend. In poor form for weeks in the league, the Catalan rivals suffered a crushing 2-1 defeat against Diego Simeone’s Colchoneros, while Real Madrid beat Sevilla 4-2 with an impressive team performance. With this emphatic victory, Los Blancos have overtaken Barça in the standings.
Diario AS’s summary for Real Madrid and Barça
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed as though Carlo Ancelotti’s team had lost all chances of winning La Liga this season after the debacle against the Blaugranas at the Santiago Bernabéu (4-0), a victory that put Barça six points clear. However, things have drastically changed.
According to the Spanish outlet AS, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha have struggled to build on their win in the season’s first Clasico. Since then, Barça have managed just one win, drawn twice, and lost four times—picking up only five points out of a possible 21, scoring 11 goals, and conceding 11.
From first place, Hansi Flick’s side has now dropped to third in La Liga with 38 points, trailing Real Madrid. Meanwhile, the outlook for Los Blancos has improved remarkably since their October 26 setback. As the Blaugranas faltered, Ancelotti’s side recorded five wins, one draw, and just one loss, accumulating 16 points out of 21. They scored 20 goals while conceding seven. With 40 points, Real Madrid can widen the gap over Barça by winning their rescheduled match from round 12 against Valencia, set for 3 January.
Real Madrid’s consistency
It’s clear that things aren’t going well for Barça. Despite Hansi Flick’s strong start, the team’s longstanding structural weaknesses have come to the fore. With Lamine Yamal frequently sidelined due to injuries, the Catalans may struggle to bounce back anytime soon.
Although the Culés emerged victorious in the Clasico, that was largely due to a temporary slump from Los Blancos, who have since returned to form. In recent weeks, Real Madrid has shown significant improvement, with Kylian Mbappé regaining full fitness alongside Rodrygo Goes and others.
With tactical adjustments that have made the team more defensively stable and allowed for greater attacking freedom, Carlo Ancelotti has been doing an excellent job. In 2025, Spain’s two biggest rivals could face off again in January’s Supercopa de España final, set to begin on 6 January in Saudi Arabia. Should Real Madrid defeat Mallorca in the semi-finals and Barça do the same against Athletic Bilbao, fans will witness the second Clasico of the season. It could be an opportunity for Los Blancos to further deepen the woes of their Catalan rivals, who are already struggling.
