The alirón, the best “energy” for the Champions

“If we are League champions there will be a party because joy will give us energy for the Champions League.” After surviving the threat of a win in the first round of the European Cup semifinals against the powerful Manchester City, Carlo Ancelotti dispelled reasonable doubts and made it clear that if Real Madrid does not fail this day against his people against Espanyol, will celebrate its 35th League title although there are those who interpret that the celebrations can wear down and harm the meringues ahead of next Wednesday’s second leg against the ‘citizens’ at the Bernabéu.

For the leader it would not be any drama to lose to Vicente Moreno’s team because the title is only a matter of time, but Madrid wants to take advantage of their first match ball, like the best tennis players. Although Carletto makes an exception in his manual and opts for massive rotations to avoid the slightest risk of injury to his key players, the whites can use a simple draw to sing the alyron. And, by the way, to be able to appear next weekend at the Wanda as brand-new champions and receive from the eternal rival that corridor of ‘fair play’ or humiliation, depending on who interprets it.

If Florentino Pérez and Carletto had written the script for this season finale, they would sign to reach the final chapter like this. Nothing better than playing the season in five days in the heat of their fans, first against Espanyol, which has always been considered a friend of Real Madrid, united by their animosity towards Barça, and then against an opponent coached by Pep Guardiola , an archrival. The problem is that although the 4-3 of the Etihad knew wonderfully seen what was seen, as the days go by reality prevails and that dictates that it was not a good result and that the comeback is complex. “We have done a great job to think only of Espanyol,” Ancelotti acknowledged yesterday.

Bale se wad

Against the parakeets, the Reggiolo coach will oppose his most experimental team, even without Gareth Bale, who is out due to back pain. And without central defenders, since Vallejo is the only specialist available and has never entered Ancelotti’s plans. Militao and Nacho are sanctioned and Alaba is not only injured for this league match with historical overtones but he is almost certainly absent for a Champions clash for which Casemiro could arrive, the only classic defensive midfielder of the team and who has the madridismo because without him, Madrid was a drain in Manchester.

Everything indicates that Mendy will relocate his demarcation and there will be an opportunity from the bench for Mario Gila, defender of Raúl’s Castilla who could even participate in the alirón match. Residual players such as Marcelo, Ceballos, Mariano and to a lesser extent Marco Asensio are emerging as starters in an eleven perhaps without Karim Benzema, the player of the season and, if nothing changes or the Egyptian Salah wins it all with Liverpool, next Ball of Prayed.

The circumstance occurs that Marcelo, the first captain of Madrid, can raise the champion trophy for the first time on the same day of the match at the Bernabéu, received from the hands of the president of the FEF, Luis Rubiales. In times of Ángel María Villar, the champion took the prized cup on the first day of the following season.

Two seasons ago, Madrid received the trophy after beating Villarreal 2-1, but they did so at the Alfredo di Stéfano in Valdebebas. So there was no convertible bus and party in La Cibeles due to covid imperative. On this occasion, the squad will come after five years of absence to visit the goddess and cheer for the league title along with thousands of fans. However, the institutional visits to the Almudena Cathedral, the City Hall and the Community will be postponed until the Champions League semi-final second leg.

Carletto, superstitious, assures that there is nothing prepared for the post-match. Maximum respect a priori for Espanyol, who also do not want to be a stone guest at the party and promises to put up a fight in Chamartín. With a little dot, the parakeets would also fly happily. They would add 40, the magic figure for permanence. As Raúl de Tomás maintains, “a tie would be good for them and for us.” Some tables that, a priori, his coach does not sign, who confessed this Friday that when he is born again and is a footballer, he would like to look like Benzema.