With 11 fixtures left and 33 points at stake, and one of those matches being against Atletico Madrid at home, there is every reason to think that Ronald Koeman’s Barcelona will win the LaLiga Santander title.
Why are Barcelona favourites to win the league?
Because of their results. Diego Simeone‘s Atletico have both Barcelona and Real Madrid breathing down their necks after Los Rojiblancos’ stalemate with Getafe, and the Atleti boss has said that neither team will lose from here to the end of the season.
Barcelona have now gone 15 games without tasting defeat in LaLiga Santander, winning 12 and drawing three, with their last loss coming on December 5 against Cadiz.
They are also favourites because of how assured they look. Barcelona have become a team with a settled system and, barring the upset against PSG, they look confident and sure of themselves.
Koeman has been relying on academy players to bolster the squad, such as Oscar Mingueza and Ilaix Moriba, who have brought hunger and desire to the squad.
Everyone now seems to work hard, defend, and with Lionel Messi scoring again things are looking up.
The Argentine scored four goals in the first ten fixtures of the season, with Barcelona picking up 14 out of a possible 30 points.
In the following 15 games, Messi has scored 17 goals and Barcelona have accrued 41 out of 45 points.
Ultimately, if Messi works so do Barcelona, and the No.10 is currently in a battle with former teammate Luis Suarez for the Pichichi award.
And finally, getting players back from injury. It mustn’t be forgotten that Barcelona have been grinding out results without some of their key players.
Gerard Pique, Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto and Philippe Coutinho are all out at present but could come back just in the nick of time to help their team claim another LaLiga Santander title.