Real Madrid drew a blank for the second time in three games against Real Betis at home, leaving them with a significant challenge in defending their La Liga tile. Many have said that Atletico have invited pressure on themselves in La Liga’s close title race because they haven’t been able to score freely when it matters. Which begs the question, what then of Real, who have played a game more than their city rivals but scored three goals fewer?
It may not be a popular narrative, but on reflection it seems to me that Zinedine Zidane has perfected Diego Simeone’s template in order to win La Liga last season and contend on both fronts this time around. They defend doggedly, have exceptional mental strength and their goalkeeper has won the team his fair share of points with crucial saves. It’s just that the traits we associate with Real’s technical players and their manager lead us to describe them in a more complimentary manner than we tend to describe Atletico’s performances.
There is no right or wrong way and the beauty of football lies in the variety of methods followed to attain success. To highlight a team’s goalscoring troubles as a reason for a failed title challenge is logically sound. But it applies just as equally to Real as it does to Atletico. After all, Barcelona have scored 15 and 18 goals more than Atletico and Real respectively. On the flip side, defences can be just as instrumental in winning leagues, and it seems unfair to praise Atletico for their defensive prowess and resilience, but if Real win, it is down to the silky stylings of Karim Benzema and Luka Modric. The truth lies somewhere in between. Simply put, Real and Atletico are more alike than many in the punditocracy would have us believe.