The door has been left wide open plenty of times this season for someone outside of Barcelona and Real Madrid to walk through but as of yet, no one has taken the chance to walk through it.
Sevilla and Atletico Madrid have come close but so far trail the Barcelona juggernaut whilst keeping one eye firmly on the wounded European Champions who have endured a nightmare opening half.
So far this season, Barcelona has lost two and drawn four in their opening 17 games.
That is twice as many defeats as the whole of last season and if the trend continues into the second half then one can only hope both Atletico and Sevilla have enough motivation to ensure they take what could be a golden chance in a current Spanish monopoly.
Diego Simone’s Atletico is the best placed to be the ones to repeat their famous 2014 title triumph especially after suffering just one defeat prior to the winter break (away at Celta Vigo).
However, Simone’s sides weakness has been a plethora of draws, seven in total which has left Los Rojiblancos trailing Valverde’s men by three-point.
Sevilla themselves are enjoying being in the spotlight once again but seeing them being able to take an even bigger step up in the second half of the season looks a tall order for a side that has looked weak in defeats to Real Betis and Getafe earlier in the season.
Perhaps trying to cement third place over Real Madrid would constitute something of a more realistic target for Pablo Machín’s men especially after a disappointing seventh place finish last term.
Real to Rise in Part Two?
A majority of the eyes in the second half of the 2018/19 La Liga season will be on Real Madrid and whether they can make significant strides after a miserable start to the campaign which saw Julen Lopetegui get the sack and Argentine Santiago Solari instilled as boss.
Much has been made of Real’s plight but after Solari guided Los Blancos to another FIFA Club World Cup title and eleven wins in his thirteen games in charge, suddenly life at the Bernabeu has taken on an optimistic view in the second half of the season.
Trailing Barcelona by eight points but with a game in hand is suddenly not a million miles away.
So, after all that it turns out that once again if anyone can stop Barcelona, it is most likely going to be Real Madrid.
The same as ever then?
Never will such happen messi and teammates is not sleeping