The La Liga championship that FC Barcelona won the previous season was a huge advancement for the team. Barcelona had not been able to win a major trophy in a number of years, even though they had been the clear favorites in nearly every campaign. This was the first major trophy that Barcelona had won under Xavi.
Barcelona was also devoid of one of its greatest icons, Lionel Messi, to aid them in winning this championship; however, his absence was somewhat offset by the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo, another important player, had also left Real Madrid.
The loss of these two players has marked a turning point in La Liga’s history as they dominated not only the league but also all of European football.
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid expressed the opinion that other teams can now compete with Barcelona and Real Madrid on an even playing field as a result of these megastars leaving. Before his match against the Catalan club, the Slovenian spoke with ESPN, as reported by SPORT, and discussed the current state of La Liga:
“La Liga is far more balanced now than it was previously. Every game is extremely tough, and every team is very good. La Liga is one of the most competitive leagues. Prior to now, there was a lot more talk about Cristiano and Messi worldwide, but their presence in La Liga has not made things any easier. La Liga still has fantastic players and is very competitive.
Joao Felix, Oblak’s previous teammate, is one of the players he will face against Barcelona. Although praising Felix, the Slovenian did not forecast how he would perform in this game:
As I know him, so he knows each and every one of us. Joao is an extremely talented player who can act at any time. Every game has a unique plot, and knowing one another has no bearing on it.
Finally, Oblak remembered the finest Barcelona squad he had encountered when playing for Atletico Madrid:
“Throughout the years, Barcelona has evolved. When Barça was in excellent form in 2015 and 2016, they arguably played the most beautiful football. During my first three years here, Barça has been the strongest since I arrived.
- La Liga is now more transparent, as the goalkeeper noted, and Girona’s incredible season is arguably the best example of this. Although Atletico has played fewer games than Barcelona, the game this weekend will be crucial for both teams because they both have the same amount of points and are vying for the championship.