The 2017/18 season is proving to be quite the reversal in form for one of Spain’s giants. Barcelona had a somewhat substandard 2016/17 with only a Copa Del Rey to show for their efforts whilst their arch rivals Real Madrid took a mighty La Liga and Champions League double.
However, after being left in the shadow of Real Madrid’s achievements, Barcelona have picked themselves up and find themselves quietly going about their business in a fashion unexpected for a club of such magnitude as the Catalans find themselves.
Seven games in to the new season and seven wins have followed for Ernesto Valverde’s men and since replacing Luis Enrique in the summer, the former Athletic Bilbao man has been building confidence and impressive results in a side that lost a key player in Neymar Jr in the summer.
What is most remarkable however, is that nobody seems to be aware of the job that Valverde is doing at the Camp Nou.
Last season Barcelona trailed Real Madrid by just three points but already seven games in find themselves a healthy seven points ahead of Zinedine Zidane’s men.
But it seems the man who earnt just a solitary cap for Spain in 1990 is getting little praise for his achievements so far especially on the continent.
However, that could all change this weekend with a trip to face Atletico Madrid in a tie 888Sport can choose little between the two.
The reason being, Diego Simeone’s men are also unbeaten in the league this season and a trip to the brand-new Wanda Metropolitano brings with it a step into the unknown for Messi and co. Atletico also have a habit of performing on the grandest of stages however Barce do boast a substantial record over their opponents having lost just once in the last thirteen meetings.
A victory to Barcelona will not only stretch their winning run to eight straight games and create one of the best openings to a new season of all time, but undoubtedly make the rest of Europe sit up and take note.
Ever since Pep Guardiola left the Camp Nou, there has been a sense that the invincibility of the side has somewhat waned but new man at the helm Ernesto Valverde is doing his utmost to ensure that one of Europe’s all-time great clubs stays at the top of the tree and looks set to dominate football in 2017/18.
The season may be long, but Barce have made the perfect start and its about time they started to get the respect they deserve making now the best time to get onboard with a whole range of 888Sport offers this season.
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andym
Founder and chief editor of La Liga Blog, Andy fell in love with Spanish football after a university placement year in the Costa Del Sol. His favourite Tapas is Albondigas and on Saturday afternoons, Andy can regularly be found trying to emulate his hero Carles Puyol for his amateur football team.