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The La Liga table told a clear story.
Barcelona sat top: twenty wins, six draws, two losses. Sixty-six points. Atlético Madrid followed: eighteen wins, nine draws, one loss. Sixty-three points. Real Madrid lurked in third: seventeen wins, four draws, seven losses. Fifty-three points.
With only ten rounds remaining, Real Madrid's title hopes were effectively over. Trailing Barcelona by thirteen points, even Zidane—back in charge since his return—had admitted in a recent press conference that their championship chances were "only theoretical."
The battle for the title had entered its final phase. Every remaining match could prove decisive.
There was one factor that might work in Atlético's favour. Or might not.
Unlike Atlético, who could focus solely on the league, Barcelona were fighting on three fronts.
In the Copa del Rey, they had demolished Real Madrid 4-1 on aggregate to reach the final, where Valencia awaited. In the league, they held a three-point cushion. And in the Champions League—with both Madrid clubs eliminated—Barcelona were Spain's sole remaining representative.
They had advanced to the quarter-finals, where Manchester United stood in their path. The English side, also dealing with managerial upheaval, were struggling domestically. Spanish media widely predicted Barcelona would reach the semi-finals.
The treble was within touching distance.
This was the double-edged sword for Atlético. Competing on multiple fronts made Barcelona vulnerable to fixture congestion and fatigue. But the lure of a historic treble could also ignite ferocious motivation.
As the sprint began, Spanish media churned out endless analysis and predictions about the championship outcome.
Perhaps because Atlético had experienced so many heartbreaking near-misses over the years, the external noise barely registered. The squad remained focused on preparation.
Simeone addressed the situation directly in training.
"Who is the opponent? How many points ahead are they? How are they performing? None of that matters. What matters is whether we avoid mistakes in the remaining matches."
For the chasing side, the only thing that truly mattered was not stumbling themselves.
The twenty-ninth round arrived.
Atlético travelled to the Mendizorrotza Stadium to face Alavés.
The day before, Barcelona had already beaten Espanyol at home. To maintain pressure, Atlético couldn't afford to drop points.
Simeone started André.
Alavés had been a revelation since their promotion a few seasons earlier. Currently fifth in the table—their best-ever finish—they decided to take the fight to Atlético at home.
A fatal miscalculation.
Atlético weren't afraid of open football. Against a team willing to attack, Simeone's side was lethal.
By halftime, the match was effectively over. Three goals up, Atlético had turned the second half into an exhibition.
Ninth minute: André assisted Griezmann. 1-0.
Twenty-third minute: André assisted Griezmann again. 2-0.
Thirty-eighth minute: Griezmann smashed one in from the edge of the box. 3-0.
In the seventy-first minute, with Costa warming up to replace him, André produced one final moment of magic. He dribbled past four defenders before threading a perfect through ball to Griezmann, who completed his hat-trick.
4-0.
Costa came on. The job was done.
Atlético had delivered a masterclass, teaching Alavés a harsh lesson about overconfidence.
April arrived. And with it, a gift.
The thirtieth round kicked off.
Atlético hosted Girona, thirteenth in the table. Barcelona travelled to face Villarreal, seventeenth and battling relegation.
Atlético's match started two hours earlier. André continued in the starting eleven, and his partnership with Griezmann had reached new heights. After helping the Frenchman to a hat-trick in the previous match, it was time for Griezmann to return the favour.
Thirty-ninth minute: Griezmann's free-kick delivery found André's head. 1-0.
Fifty-seventh minute: a perfectly weighted through ball sent André clear on goal. He made no mistake. 2-0.
André's brace secured all three points.
Three hours later, news arrived from Villarreal.
The Yellow Submarine, desperate in their relegation fight, had produced a performance for the ages.
Barcelona led 2-1 at halftime. Then Villarreal struck twice in quick succession after the break to go ahead. A fourth goal in the seventy-ninth minute made it 4-2.
But Barcelona refused to die. Two goals in stoppage time levelled the score.
Final: Villarreal 4-4 Barcelona.
A point dropped.
The gap at the top had narrowed.
Atlético were coming.
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