Today R. Madrid played at Osasuna for their sunday game, and they lost 0-1. That, combined with yesterday's revenge victory against Hercules means that Football Club Barcelona are now the league leaders by 7 points ahead of the Madrileños.
It's a relief. The season is past the half-way point and the near-perfection of Barça in the season seems overwhelming and undeniable. The team, which is so great to watch, are clever and tricky and pretty, but would that charisma equal championships and success as measured in silver?
With the Copa Del Rey finals coming up soon, the next step in the Champions League competition against Arsenal in two weeks, and finally, the last stretch of the season of la Liga Español to be played out over the next 12 weeks, the momentum the team has established has almost given them wings to glide above the pitches they meet their opponents upon. This is the angel football of genius.
Leo is the team's angel. The gift. He tries so hard, it cannot fail to convince those that watch--both on the pitch and in faraway apartments and bars. Alone, or with company. Jordan-esque. Time-suspending.
Yesterday's victory over Hercules was tough. Pedrito came through to the goal just before the half, but other than that, the game was almost entirely mired in a tug of war by two savage shouldered ogres. Barça were off the mark. They had good control, but their counterparts in Hercules defence simply did not allow them the space to get a comfortable finish.
In the final minutes, as Hercules were reduced to a 10-man team thanks to two quick yellow cards for Farinos, Messi snapped to the goal and scored two in quick succession to finish the job at 0-3 Barcelona. The best team in Spanish and possibly world football, had avenged their last loss in the league against Hercules back in September at the Nou Camp.
