Real Madrid's "Sprint" Phase Begins

MADRID, FRIDAY – With only nine matches remaining in the Spanish League, Real Madrid's pursuit of Barcelona at the top of the standings has now entered a "sprint" phase. This is the time for Real to step on the gas, running at full speed by winning all the remaining matches. Real's "sprint" phase begins with hosting Valencia at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, on Saturday (5/4/2025) at 9:15 PM WIB.

A league-format competition is akin to a marathon-running approach. With a relatively long competition duration, approximately eight to nine months, teams manage their pace to avoid exhausting their stamina early on, aiming to finish in the best position at the end of the season. Such is the journey of Real from season to season.

However, this time the Real players must begin to instill the mindset that they have entered the "sprint" phase. In this phase, they must not merely wait while maintaining their running pace. What can and should be done in this phase is to run as fast as possible by securing victories in all matches.

This is important considering Real is currently trailing Barca by three points. With the competition's duration increasingly narrowing, Real cannot simply run at a normal pace while waiting for Barca to slip. In the current situation, Real's fate must be placed in their own hands by winning all remaining matches.

Real defender Antonio Ruediger is aware of this. He stated that this season will be intense until the end for Real in La Liga. Moreover, they are still troubled by player injury issues. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is the latest player almost certain to be absent ahead of the match against Valencia due to injury. The goalkeeper position will most likely be filled by Andriy Lunin.

"There are several matches left, but Real Madrid and we will continue to fight until the end," said Ruediger as quoted from the Real website.

Valencia poses the nearest challenge for Real in the "sprint" phase. The team, led by coach Carlos Corberan, is currently in a positive trend, having remained unbeaten in their last four matches. Additionally, "Los Che" is riding high on confidence after successfully escaping the relegation zone. Since being managed by Corberan earlier this year, Valencia has gradually but surely begun to show signs of resurgence.

When Corberan was appointed to replace Ruben Baraja, Valencia were languishing in 20th place, or bottom of the table. In just 12 games, Corberan has guided Valencia to a revival and they are now in 15th place.

“He (Corberan) asked us to stay focused and work hard. Every day is demanding. He always pushes us to give 100 percent, just like he does himself. He and his coaching staff work hard to get results. I want to thank him for everything he has done, and hopefully, he will continue like this because his success is our success,” said Valencia striker Diego Lopez in a press conference ahead of the match, Friday (4/4/2025).

Facing Real became a bitter memory for Corberan. Because, Real was Corberan's first test in his debut match. The match did not end well for him as Valencia lost 1-2 at home. This time, Valencia is determined to make up for it by winning at the Bernabeu.

"The important thing is that we have to win. The Bernabeu is the Bernabeu. But in the end, it's still 11 against 11. We have to focus on what happens on the pitch, that's the most important thing," Lopez said.

No matter how much Lopez tries to lift the team's spirits ahead of their trip to the Bernabeu, it doesn't take away from the fact that Valencia are not the favourites. The Bernabeu has always been and will be a tough place for Valencia to beat. They haven't won at the Bernabeu since 2008. So, Corberan's arrival is no guarantee for Valencia to achieve a sweet result there.