Hansi Flick's Barça Is Already the Sole Leader and sees everyone else through the rearview mirror. That team that "isn't reliable and is too inconsistent", the team of the kids, has grown up and, at the very least, is more reliable and consistent than the others.
Usually, the media aligned with Florentino Pérez, which tunes into the radical wave of Real Madrid TV, blame the referees when Real Madrid loses ground and Barça gains it.
They also tried it this week. But, in Seville, if there was anyone disadvantaged by the referee's work, it was Betis. In Montjuïc, they had it better with Aritz's expulsion in the first minutes of the match.
"Controversial Barça Victory?"
They already found the excuse they look for every matchday. Many media outlets talked about "controversial Barça victory."They blamed the referee for the expulsion, which left Real Sociedad with one less player for an hour.
The truth is that Barça isn't used to these situations. Normally, it's Barça itself that has to overcome adversities.
But that's how it was. Barça started its goal count (16 more goals than Real Madrid in 26 matches) when they found themselves with a numerical advantage.
The intrigue was served... until Imanol appeared, the coach of Real Sociedad, to put everyone in their place.
Imanol Is Indeed a Gentleman
"The expulsion is very clear, it's fair, we made a mistake and it's not the first. We must try to avoid those situations.
And if already with eleven against eleven they find the free man easily, imagine with one more. We tried to come together to minimize risks, stand our ground as best as possible, and think about United on Thursday."
Imanol didn't cry like others do in similar situations. He behaved with the dignity expected of the Real Sociedad coach.
They'll have to leave Negreira, who is always Real Madrid's worst player, for another occasion. This time not even the disadvantaged themselves have complained.
Barça Ends February in Style: 5 Out of 5
The conclusion is that Barça ends February in style, with five victories in five matches that allow them to cut 10 points from Real Madrid in just a month.
When the defeats came in Madrid, they were already talking about February 8 as the end of LaLiga. That day Real Madrid would end the season in the Madrid classic. But Real Madrid didn't win the classic.
They also didn't win in Pamplona and lost against Espanyol and Betis. The "unreliable" team composed of "kids" has known how to take advantage.
They don't have the best in the world, Mbappé, nor the Ballon d'Or chosen by Madridism, but they do have a compact, solidary, and disciplined team. A team of 16 players, as Araújo rightly said at the end of the Barça-Real Sociedad match.
Real Madrid has only beaten Girona at home in the last five matchdays. And Barça has defeated Alavés, Sevilla, Rayo, Las Palmas, and Real Sociedad: 12 goals for and 1 against.
Proven solvency, reliability, and consistency.