Real Madrid’s Ancelotti predicts tight La Liga title race?

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti admitted that perennial arch-nemesis Barcelona, along with table-toppers Atletico Madrid, have presented challenges in this year’s La Liga, where one clear victor is hard to emerge.

Barcelona, leaders from August, is slipping to a third-place while having won only of its last league games, in the process definitely ceding No. 1 spot to Altetico last month after coming back home beaten with a 2- 1 loss of its home defeat last month.

Ancelotti’s Real, who are a point behind Atletico with 40 points from 18 matches, can provisionally take the top spot when they visit 19th-placed Valencia on Friday.

“The level of competitiveness in LaLiga lowers a bit the points you need to win the title,” Ancelotti, whose men finished 10 points ahead of second-placed Barcelona when they amassed 95 points during the 2023-24 campaign, told reporters. “The fact that Atletico are there too creates uncertainty and I believe that it will take less than 90 points to become champions.”

Ancelotti said while Barcelona’s drop in form was unexpected, the club had a strong chance of staging a comeback.

“You have a slump and then you get competitive like before. Barcelona and Atletico have the same chances of competing with us,” he added.

Ancelotti has never won it easy since taking charge of Real in 2021 and didn’t expect it against a struggling Valencia despite his team having already clinched two LaLiga titles. “Tomorrow we start a new challenge, with many excited players. It is going to be an intense game. we want to start the year well,” 65-year-old Luis Enrique said.