Real Madrid delighted after Barcelona’s loss against Almeria, believe they can retain La Liga

Barcelona suffered their second successive defeat in all competitions when they slumped to a 1-0 loss at the hands of Almeria. The Catalans had already sustained a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United that sealed their exit from the UEFA Europa League.

In the aftermath of the loss, a certain Whatsapp group in Madrid had become very active, rejoicing the result. That group was of the Real Madrid first-team squad, reports The Athletic.

The report suggests the Real Madrid first-team players were extremely happy with Barcelona’s defeat, with some even making jokes about the Catalan team. This came in the backdrop of Real Madrid’s own 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid that drew in a lot of criticism.

Many within the Real Madrid fanbase even thought that the title race was over, as the draw gave Barcelona the opportunity to extend their lead to ten points.

However, several players told The Athletic that Barcelona’s draw has renewed hopes of a late title charge. Many in the team believe that Real Madrid make up the lost ground and eventually leapfrog their fierce rivals in the race for the league title.

Even Carlo Ancelotti and his coaching staff were happy at the result. They are highly aware of the club’s high expectations and the fact that the board would not settle for anything less than the league title, as far as the domestic scene is concerned.

Ancelotti and co. were very annoyed at the backlash received from fans in the wake of Real Madrid’s draw with Atleti. They believe several physical and mental factors, including the team’s midweek clash against Liverpool, were overlooked by the fans.

Nevertheless, it seems Real Madrid are confident of taking on Barcelona in the league during the remainder of the campaign. The Catalans, though, still hold a formidable seven point lead at the top and will look to extend it further when they take on Valencia in the next matchday.

In the meantime, though, the two traditional rivals are set to take each other in the revered El Clasico on March 3, in the first leg of the Copa Del Rey semifinal.