Celebrating a routine win is a habit amongst most modern footballers that is frowned upon but Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta can be forgiven after the midfielder posted a celebratory photo of a jubilant dressing room after La Blaugrana’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid on Saturday.
La mejor manera de terminar el año! Grande equipo! Seguimos!! Força Barça!!!
The best way to end the year! Great team work! Força Barça!!! pic.twitter.com/TZKOPJZ5N7
— Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8) December 23, 2017
For not only did the Catalans get bragging rights over their eternal rivals, they opened up a nine-point lead in the process and have effectively written of Los Blancos’ hopes of defending the La Liga title.
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Goals from Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Aleix Vidal gave Barcelona a priceless victory in Real’s backyard—The Santiago Bernabeu— with the hosts hamstrung by Dani Carvajal’s dismissal midway into the second-half.
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Real have had a stellar 2017, in which they scooped five major trophies, much to the chagrin of Barcelona, who looked bereft of confidence at the start of the 2017-18 season but new manager Ernesto Valverde has remarkably turned things around.
Still unbeaten after 17 games played, Barcelona are sitting pretty at the top of the table with a tally of 45 points while second-placed Atletico Madrid trail them by nine points. Valencia, in third, are two points further behind the Rojiblancos while fourth-ranked Real have a haul of 31 points.
While Los Blancos have played a game less due to their involvement in the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup, an 11-point lead seems insurmountable at this stage.