This season, who is the weakest defending champion in the five major leagues? It seems that except for Paris Saint-Germain, they are all a little declining, but if you ask about the weakest, then it must be Barcelona.
The strength of the squad has been significantly enhanced, there are few competitors in La Liga, and the strength of the main rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid has been weakened, but the top three of Barcelona may not be guaranteed at any time, or even fall out of the Champions League zone. The opponents in the Champions League group stage are all second- and third-rate, and the last round of away games against the weak team Antwerp, which has been at the bottom of the competition, Barcelona also wants to win when it locks the first place in the group in advance, mainly because it wants to win the 2.8 million euro winning prize, and there is also a 930,000 euro bonus for a draw, but Barcelona lost and didn't get a dime.
Does the squad need to be reformed, how to reform, is there any money to reform, will Xavi be out of class? These are all topics that Barcelona fans are concerned about. And for Xavi, the consideration should be to win one game quickly, this one is going to lose, then the people who want to protect him can't keep him, maybe.
Barcelona vs Almeria
Nature of competition: 2023-24 La Liga round 18
Match time: 12.21.2:00
After the first 17 rounds of La Liga, Barcelona ranked third with 35 points with 10 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses, 9 points behind the leader Girona, 7 points behind the second Real Madrid, and 1 point more than Atletico Madrid, which is fourth and 1 round less.
Almeria have 5 points from 0 wins, 5 draws, 12 losses and are firmly at the bottom of the La Liga standings and the only team that has not won in the top five leagues this season.
What would happen if Barcelona couldn't even win against such a team on their own turf, or even gave their opponents their first win of the season?
On paper, no matter how you look at it, this game should be won by Barcelona.
Alaves vs Real Madrid
Nature of competition: 2023-24 La Liga round 18
Match time: 12.22.4:30
Ancelotti has been living a tight life since he entered Real Madrid for the second time, and when he first came, he hoped to introduce a center forward, not to mention that Lewandowski is so strong, Richarlison is like that, but he failed to do so. Anfat just didn't have enough faith in Benzema, but Benzema left, and Real Madrid only brought in a center forward on cheap loan from a team that was relegated to La Liga, but they have been buying midfielders. But under Ancelotti, Real Madrid are doing well.
Alaves can only be regarded as a small club in La Liga, but the results are also passable, with 17 games, 4 wins, 4 draws, 9 losses, 16 points and 16 points, ranking 13th, 3 points more than Celta in the relegation zone.
Real Madrid's record in the last 10 matches is eight wins and two draws and unbeaten.
Alaves has 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses in the last 10 games, and has suffered 2 consecutive defeats in the last 2 rounds of La Liga.
In the past 10 meetings between the two sides, Real Madrid has the upper hand with 8 wins and 2 losses, and Real Madrid has won all of the last 3 matches.
In this game, Real Madrid should win without suspense.