The reality of La Liga is that there are two clubs who are streets ahead of the rest.
And so they should be.
After all, the budgets of the country’s top two clubs dwarf the rest which is why, in almost any season, the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds will always favour Real Madrid and Barcelona.
After a summer of spending, probably above their means, that is the case again for Barca in 2022-23, as they try and unseat arch rivals Real, the reigning Spanish and European champions.
Since the very start of the campaign, when one giant has dropped points, the other has taken advantage, meaning they have barely been separated by more than a few points at the summit.
That was the case again this weekend.
Indeed, the difference at the conclusion of the season could actually come down to who fares best against the teams which have impressively caused them a bloodied nose in the recent past – the likes of Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia and ‘Yellow Submarine’ Villarreal and it was the latter who were doing their stuff again this weekend.
On any normal weekend, the main story would be about the world player of the year, Karim Benzema, converting his 227th La Liga goal to move joint sixth in the all-time top scorers’ list, alongside club legend Alfredo di Stefano.
On the day, though, it was merely a footnote to a contest which burst into life at the start of the second period.
Gerard Moreno scored a penalty and set up Yeremy Pino for the opener as Villarreal who are sixth following a third straight league win.
Quique Setién’s side started the stronger, with Francis Coquelin rattling the woodwork early on before Pino was denied by Thibaut Courtois from close range.
There was no let-up from the hosts after the break and the pressure told in the 47th minute when Moreno played in Pino, whose shot beat Courtois through sheer power.
Real rallied and a Juan Foyth handball, awarded by the VAR, allowed Benzema to level from the penalty spot on the hour mark.
Before the visitors could build on their leveller, Villarreal were awarded a penalty as a falling David Alaba was penalised for handball.
Real players protested strongly against the decision but there was no VAR reversal, and Moreno sent Courtois the wrong way from the spot to secure the win.
Carlo Ancelotti – rightly acclaimed this week as a management phenomenon – did not point at VAR but instead placed the blame for the defeat squarely on his players’ performance.
Madrid, who have won two of their last five league games, are now three points adrift of Barcelona who may well considered a 1-0 win at Atletico to be among their finest La Liga highlights of the campaign.
Ousmane Dembele’s smart 22nd minute finish was all that divided the sides who finished with 10 men each following stoppage time dismissals for Stefan Savic and Ferran Torres.
When Antoine Griezmann saw his 94th minute shot cleared off the line Ronaldo Araujo, the Catalans had what could prove to be a priceless victory.
If they were the big games of the weekend, the result of the weekend came on Friday night as Cadiz climbed momentarily out of the drop zone with a fine win at Valencia.
Ruben Alcaraz’s early strike was enough for Los Piratas on a night overshadowed by the news that a Valencia fan had passed away after failing ill prior to the match getting underway.
Also at that end of the table, Espanyol built on their New Year draw with Barcelona with another point, this time at home to Girona.
After falling behind to a Toni Villa opener, Javi Puado and Joselu, who equalised at the Nou Camp, turned the match around only for Yangel Herrera to notch a late equaliser.
Sevilla are not used to being in the bottom three but finally moved out of the drop zone with a 2-1 home win over Getafe, secured by goals from Marcos Acuna and Rafa Mir.
Two of the ‘best of the rest’ during the first half of the season both won away on Sunday to maintain their top four berths.
Two goals in five early second half minutes from veteran David Silva and Alexander Sorloth sealed the points for Sociedad against an Almeria side which has proved a tough nut to crack at home.
Meanwhile, Real Betis overcame a real test at Rayo Vallecano thanks to a 40th minute winner from Rosa da Silva.
The La Liga weekend will conclude on Monday night when Athletic Bilbao host Osasuna.
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