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The Betfair Contrarian: why Real Madrid will not win La Liga

RSS / / 18 January 2008 /

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He's at it again. This time we get eight reasons why Los Galacticos wont be hoisting the trophy come the end of the season

After 19 games, Real Madrid are sitting smugly atop the table with a record number of points at this, the half-way stage. Yet all is not well at the Bernabeu - new manager Bernd Schuster has yet to make his first friend in Madrid and Jose Mourinho's name floats in the air from time to time, club president Ramon Calderon is constantly stirring up discontent, and there is a distinct feeling that the "meringues" are top by fortune as much as design.

Here are eight reasons why their name won't be on the trophy at the end of the season

Real Madrid don't repeat

Real Madrid won five consecutive championships in the seasons preceding 1990, but have failed to win successive league titles in the seventeen seasons since, in spite of winning the title another five times. Champions last year, Madrid are therefore unlikely to repeat the feat this time around.

The cracks are beginning to show

A midweek defeat at home to Real Mallorca saw the Spanish champions dumped out of the Copa del Rey and also ended their one hundred percent home record. This was their second defeat in only seven days (they lost the first leg the previous week 2-1.)

They are vulnerable on the road

Though Madrid remain unbeaten at home in La Liga, they are anything but invincible on the road with two defeats already and tough trips to third placed city rivals Atletico Madrid (this weekend) and sixth placed Racing Santander still to come.

Real Madrid have thrown away leads before

In 2002 Madrid surrendered top spot following three consecutive away defeats in February, which ultimately cost them the title.

They have been known to suffer from a fear of the finish line

In 2006 they only won five of their last fourteen La Liga fixtures, whilst in 2004 they lost six of their last seven.

They are without one of their best players

Holding midfielder Mahamadou Diarra will be away until at least the beginning of February whilst he represents Mali at the African Cup of Nations. Diarra has been a key part of Madrid's success this season, playing in all but three of their nineteen league games.

Real Madrid have been known to struggle in the league when they progress into the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Last season, Madrid failed to win any of the four La Liga fixtures that sandwiched their round-of-sixteen European tie with Bayern Munich and they suffered in a similar fashion in 2006, drawing six of seven league encounters after losing out to Arsenal.

Their main rivals have untangled themselves and are starting to threaten.

Though the deficit currently stands at seven points, second placed Barcelona seem to have solved their early season personnel difficulties and have won four of their last five in La Liga, including an impressive 3-0 win away to Valencia.

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