The League focuses on the classic

The calendar and the recent decline of Atlético de Madrid have once again put the focus of the League on the classic with nine appointments for the end of the League.

Just 10 days ago, for example, in January, Real Madrid was apparently off the hook eight points behind the leaders, Atlético, and Barcelona, ​​even further, 11 behind.

The season seemed destined to be shelved as transitional for both of them.

Zidane found no solutions in the new breed of footballers, while Koeman tested systems and watched the club's financial and institutional foundations melt;

until the meeting of Joan Laporta sang the hymn at dawn in a notary's office, at the limit of the term to avoid the repetition of the elections.

To fire the beats of half the planet, the classic does not even need the additive of a title at stake, but the championship has tightened and the winner of this Saturday's match at the Alfredo di Stéfano (21.00, Movistar LaLiga) will sleep as leader.

Even in the event of a tie, Atlético will no longer see themselves alone in the lead, reached by Barça.

The League has refocused the classic, and the classic is going to warm up the League again.

Despite everything, not even the title again within the reach of Madrid and Barcelona is enough to clear the twilight air that surrounds this classic.

The old rivals —245 clashes, 97 victories for Whites, 96 for Barça— appear with the future of their captains in the air.

81 days after their contracts expire, neither Sergio Ramos nor Leo Messi have any signed agreement for the next season, and the possibility that it is the last classic of both has little remote.

It would be the end of the classics of the classic: Messi will equal the 45 appointments of Ramos, who will have to follow the match from the stands, after his injury in the twin with the Spanish team.

Zidane and Koeman made it clear yesterday that they want this Saturday not to be the captains' last classic.

"Hopefully not," said the Frenchman about Ramos.

"He's not going to play tomorrow [for today], it's a shame, but I hope he stays here."

And he wished the same for Messi: “That he stays at Barcelona, ​​which is fine there.

Also for the Spanish League ”, he said.

From the other end of the airlift, the Barcelona coach spoke along the same lines: “The best thing for our League is that the best players stay until the last minute in which they can play.

Hopefully Sergio Ramos continues with Madrid and Leo with us ”, he said.

That, like the league title, this classic will not solve either.

Nor will it shed light on the status of the most expensive signing in the history of Madrid, Eden Hazard, who despite having already completed several work sessions with the group, yesterday was again left out of the call of Zidane, who maintains extreme caution on his return.

“It depends solely on the feeling of the player.

There is a recovery process, but the feeling of the player is very important.

It is his feeling at the end, if he is there to play ”, he said.

"It's better".

In the Barça side they have managed to add troops for the classic.

Yesterday, Sergi Roberto and Gerard Piqué returned to the list, after the relapse of their knee injury.

His actual condition will also determine De Jong's fate on the field, although that does not worry Koeman: “The good thing is that he can play in different positions.

He contributes a lot if he plays central, because with the ball we can come out better, but from the center of the field he has also shown that he can reach the area ”, he said.

The point on the calendar in which this classic is presented is decisive not only because of the recently revived League, but also because of the concurrence with two other trophies.

Madrid come to the duel four days after defeating Liverpool (3-1) in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, a grueling game, and four days before the return at Anfield.

“There is fear before five decisive days.

There is no recovery time and Zidane is going to have to fine-tune like never before to get it right.

Whether he wants to or not, he will have to choose ”, says a source from the club.

He has not rescued Hazard, but he has the energy of Valverde, who already played a few minutes on Tuesday.

On the other hand, Barcelona awaits next Saturday at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville the final of the Copa del Rey against Athletic, the title that in the low hours Koeman saw closer to sweeten a season that threatened him. empty.

But the new situation in the League brought about by Atlético refocuses on a classic that could say goodbye this Saturday to Ramos and Messi.

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