Barça go into the final stages with their sights on winning the two most important trophies of the season. They are eight points clear in the league and still have the Champions League semi final to come.
The cup is over, but there is no time for sorrow. Barcelona still have two titles to fight for, and
the Liga and Champions League are hardly minor compensation. There is plenty to look forward to in
what remains of the season.
Main objectives
Pep Guardiola said as much after the game at Mestalla:
“We’ll pick ourselves up, of course we will.” Villa went further, and said
“the best part of the season has yet to come” and Xavi pointed out that “La Liga
and the Champions League are the most important titles”.
Osasuna next
The Barça players now have a day off and return on Thursday to start working on the
league fixture on Saturday against Osasuna (20.00).
There are six games to go, and with an eight point lead, a win against Osasuna, who are 14th
with 25 points and are just 5 clear of the relegation zone, three points would bring Barcelona
incredibly close to mathematically securing the championship.
Two more clásicos
After the game at the Camp Nou against Osasuna,
it’s back to Europe, where FCB will be meeting Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu once
again.
The semi final first leg is on Wednesday, April 27. After a trip to Anoeta to face Real
Sociedad, the Camp Nou will be the venue the Tuesday after in a crunch game that will decide which
of the two giants of La Liga will be going to the grand final, which this year is being held at
Wembley on May 28.
But there are four league games to come before the hypothetical final. Two are at home
(Espanyol and Deportivo) and the other two are on the road (Levante and Malaga).
What is sadly certain is that there will be no repeat of the treble of 2008-09, but the
league and European Cup double, as in 1992 and 2006, is still on the cards.