Chapter 113: The league that burns
From the Copa del Rey quarterfinal fixtures, Spanish clubs were pushed straight back into La Liga action.
La Liga did not pause for bruises or fatigue.
The Copa del Rey had taken its toll, but now Matchday 22 arrived, and with it, the fire of a title race that refused to cool.
This season, both clubs were literally perfect, both still unbeaten.
Individually as clubs, they had shattered so many records already this season due to their streak, and collectively they’ve shattered so many records in the leagues, both points record and goal difference records.
In just 21 games, both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona were at 57 points each,
Though drawing from history such speculation was impossible, but if both clubs managed a winning streak in the league to the end of the season, they would come ridiculously close to a 110 point season!
History beckoned, and only time would tell if both giant clubs would live up to the ridiculous expectations that the first half of their season have created.
Only time would tell if they would fall off, or if they would thrive under pressure as the fixtures kept on coming thick and fast.
For Matchday 22 of the Spanish La Liga, Barcelona finally returned to the Camp Nou, hungry to bask in their fortress again after two grueling away games.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, braced for a storm at La Cerámica, the exact stadium where Barcelona just suffered a week ago and where Villarreal’s yellow wall waited to suffocate giants.
Two battles, one race.
[La Liga- Matchday 22:]
>Spotify Camp Nou – Barcelona vs Sevilla.
The Spotify Camp Nou thrummed with anticipation.
Flags snapped, chants cascaded, and when Samuel Moses stepped onto the pitch, the roar shook the city.
His ankle was still wrapped tight, a reminder of Villarreal’s rough justice days before, but his eyes burned with that familiar intensity and determination.
Even after winning a ballon d’Or trophy, his mamba mentality was still there for the whole world to see.
For this game, Hansi Flick’s message to his players was clear: attack Sevilla, and break them early.
FWEEEE!
The referee’s whistle sounded and from kickoff, Barça swarmed.
Pedri and Gavi stitched the midfield with silk and steel, while Yamal twisted Jesús Navas inside out on the wing.
The first eruption of the game came as early as in the 18th minute as Sam dropped deep, dragging defenders with him before releasing a disguised pass wide to Raphinha that set the Brazilian free on the flank.
The Brazilian drilled low across the box, and Lewandowski tapped home.
1–0 Barcelona.
Sevilla were stung, but without giving up, they fought and then they clawed their way back into the game.
They snapped into tackles, their striker bullying Cubarsí in aerial duels.
Then in the 33rd minute, the danger became disaster, Suazo skipped past Koundé and slid a pass across the face of goal.
Vargas buried it with aplomb.
1–1. The Camp Nou groaned.
But Sam wasn’t done. Just before halftime, he picked up the ball 30 yards out, ghosted past two men, and rifled a thunderous strike from range.
Vlachodimos saved, but Yamal followed in like a predator, smashing the rebound home to make it 2–1 Barcelona.
The Camp Nou exploded.
At halftime, Hansi Flick’s voice rang through the dressing room. "Finish this, show no mercy."
The second half started and his players did just that.
The second half was a blaugrana storm.
Balde surged down the flank in the 56th minute, whipping a cross toward Sam. Instead of shooting as he was marked tightly, he flicked a cheeky backheel into Pedri’s path and the elegant midfielder did the rest.
One touch, one shot, one net bulging.
3–1.
Sevilla wilted after that.
In the 78th minute, Sam finally got his moment as Yamal danced inside and slipped the ball across the box.
Sam hammered low past the goalkeeper to make it 4–1.
The whistle came with the Spotify Camp Nou in a state of euphoria. Barcelona had answered every doubt and battered every shadow.
...
[La Liga- Matchday 22:]
>La Cerámica – Villarreal vs Real Madrid.
If the Camp Nou was a carnival, La Cerámica was a furnace.
The yellow wall gave Madrid the same treatment that they gave Barcelona as they jeered their every touch, and Villarreal, emboldened by their Copa battle with Barça pressed like demons.
Madrid stumbled early.
In the 12th minute, Gerard Moreno rattled the crossbar, and in the 20th, Yeremy Pino forced Courtois into a sprawling save. The Bernabéu gods couldn’t hear them here; this was hostile territory.
But Madrid were Madrid.
In the 29th minute, Mbappé burst past Cuenca on the left, squared into the box, and Vinícius flicked it into Bellingham’s stride.
The Englishman slotted in a calm finish.
0–1 Real Madrid.
The yellow wall roared back as Villarreal refused to bow.
In the 40th minute, Parejo split Madrid’s lines with a through ball. Moreno slid in, poking it past Courtois.
1–1.
La Cerámica shook like an earthquake.
Halftime came with the scoreboard balanced and Madrid sweating.
Unlike the first, the second half was trench warfare as tackles flew and tempers flared. For long stretches, Villarreal pinned Madrid back, but champions thrive in fire.
In the 67th minute, Valverde surged forward, unleashing a rocket from distance. Reina parried, but Rodrygo pounced, rifling the rebound high into the net.
1–2 Madrid.
The final 20 minutes were a siege, and Real Madrid put in a masterclass that would have made Commander Charles proud all the way from Planet Juxta.
Villarreal pounded Madrid’s box, but Rüdiger and Huijsen threw themselves in front of every shot, Courtois clawing one miraculous save from Moreno’s header in the 88th minute.
When the whistle blew, Madrid’s fists punched skyward.
They had suffered, but they had survived.
[FULL-TIME: Villarreal 1-2 Real Madrid]
As night fell across Spain, the table still glared back like a mirror. There were changes, but the positions held.
FC Barcelona — 60 points Real Madrid — 60 points
Both still unbeaten, unyielding, and unstoppable.
Sevilla’s fight hadn’t been enough; Villarreal’s fury hadn’t been enough.
The titans of Spain marched on, neck-and-neck at the top as destiny still tangled in white and blaugrana.
The world watched, and the question only grew louder...
If neither will blink, who will break the other?