Seventy minutes into the penultimate day of the 2009-2010 La Liga season, it seemed as if a flat Madrid were going to concede their title campaign on home soil. A forty-first minute equalizer from Francisco Javier Yeste had Athletic Bilbao on terms at the Bernabeu while Barcelona was cruising at the Sanchez Pizjuan. An onslaught of Madrid goals and two quick strikes from a ten-man Sevilla had the Madrid faithful dreaming once again of league glory; nonetheless, Barcelona were able to hold off the strong willed Andalucians, maintaining their league advantage into the final week of the campaign. A Madrid draw Saturday night would have meant the league trophy once again belonged to the Catalan side but the capital club’s victory maintained Los Blancos faint hope of hardware this season.

Saturday night was, however, the Madrilenos best opportunity to reclaim the top of the table with Barcelona on the road at a Sevilla side fighting for their Champions League life. The leaders will host bottom of the table Valladolid in what could be the visitor’s last game in La Primera for at least a year. Madrid must now win on Sunday and hope for a miracle result at the Camp Nou. Some Madrid faithful may still be speciously optimistic for a trophy at the Bernabeu this season, but the general attitude throughout the capital Sunday was that Barcelona would be crowned champions in one week’s time.

For a team knowing that anything short of three points would end their title chase, Real Madrid was incredibly lackluster the first two-thirds of Saturday night’s match. Ronaldo converted from the spot to give the hosts the advantage but Pellegrini’s men did little to separate themselves from the Basque side, allowing a ten-man Bilbao to equalize and remain on terms for the majority of the match. The final twenty minutes of the game is how Madrid should have been from the first whistle. It was that lack of intensity, of desire that may, when one looks back on Madrid’s 09-10 campaign, have cost Los Blancos the title.

Ronaldo’s penalty gave Madrid an early advantage ©GettyImages-HERE

It is hard to doubt that Madrid has the talent but something is lacking. One might say chemistry and it did take time for the team to come together, but others would say it is something more. The first seventy minutes of Saturday’s match would validate such a claim.

The outcome Sunday may look grim but there is a reason they plan the game because nothing is certain. Real Madrid know what they must do, the rest is out of their hands.