Is the La Liga title race over? It might well be after Real Madrid had a goalless draw away to Real Betis, allowing Barcelona to open up a nine-point gap at the top of the table.
And while Carlo Ancelotti has not yet conceded the title race, he admits that it is now very difficult to catch Barca and defend their La Liga crown.
Meanwhile, a couple of out-of-favour Real Madrid forwards are reportedly getting ready to leave the club in search of more playing time.
And in the other half of Madrid, Diego Simeone had a dream match as he set a club record in style against Sevilla.
Read on below as SBOTOP lists down all the latest La Liga 2023 news that have made headlines in recent days.
Ancelotti admits Real La Liga title defence ‘difficult’ after latest draw
Real Madrid’s La Liga 2023 odds of defending their title took another huge blow as they were held to a goalless draw by Real Betis over the weekend.
That draw – their second in a row after a 1-1 in the derby against Atletico – coupled with Barcelona’s 1-0 win over Valencia despite going down to 10 men, saw Los Blancos drop nine points behind Barca, the biggest that gap has been all season.
Since scoring five goals at Anfield against Liverpool in the Champions League, Real have scored just one goal in their last three games, with two draws and a defeat to Barca in the cup.
Ancelotti admitted after the match that while it is still possible to win La Liga despite their nine-point deficit to Barcelona, it will be “very difficult” to do so.
“Yes, it is possible. It’s not impossible. So it is possible. Very difficult, very complicated. We have no doubt that we will fight until the end,” Ancelotti said.
Real Madrid will take on Espanyol at home next weekend before their huge Clasico against Barcelona that could very well decide the title race this season.
Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio possibly leaving Real Madrid
As Real Madrid deal with a mini-goal drought, a couple of their forwards – Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio – are reportedly close to heading for the exit at the Bernabeu.
Top football insider Fabrizio Romano has reported that Hazard and Real will meet in the coming weeks to discuss his future.
Hazard has failed to find a place in Ancelotti’s side amid injuries and poor form in recent years, and with the Belgian still hoping for more consistent playing time, the feeling within the club is that he will leave in the summer.
Playing time is also a big issue for Marco Asensio. The Spanish international was reportedly angry with Ancelotti after the Real boss told him to warm up but did not bring him on as a substitute in their goalless draw with Real Betis.
Asensio, who is out of contract at the end of the season and can move on a free transfer in the summer, has been with several big clubs such as AC Milan, Arsenal, and even Barcelona.
And it appears that Asensio would not be completely against a move to Catalonia should an offer come as his situation in Madrid continues to deteriorate.
Diego Simeone sets Atletico record in 6-1 win over Sevilla
While things are looking bleak at the Bernabeu, the mood at the Civitas Metropolitano is much-improved as Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid have turned a disappointing season around.
And Simeone made history on the weekend as he took charge of Atletico Madrid for the 613th time against Sevilla, breaking the record previously held by Luis Aragones. His Atleti side marked the occasion in style as they smashed the relegation strugglers 6-1.
Memphis Depay and Alvaro Morata both bagged braces, while Antoine Griezmann had a goal and an assist for Los Colchoneros, who have now taken third spot thanks to an eight-game unbeaten run in La Liga (5 wins, 3 draws).
There has been much speculation about Simeone’s future with Atletico amid their declining form in recent seasons. But with their promising performances in the past few months, it seems that even after breaking the record for most games managing Atleti, Simeone might not be done in Madrid just yet.
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