Real Madrid fans pessimistic about Spanish league battle (Feature)

By Duncan Shaw Feb 27, 2011, 11:08 GMT

Madrid - The fans of Real Madrid were pessimistic on Sunday about the chances of their team fighting with Barcelona for the Spanish league title, an online poll revealed.

The poll, taken by Madrid sports daily Marca, showed that no less than 80.3 per cent of readers voted 'no' to the question 'Do you think that Real Madrid still have the chance to battle for the title?'

On Saturday Real were held 0-0 at lowly Deportivo Coruna, a result which left them seven points behind runaway leaders Barcelona, who earlier on Saturday enjoyed a 3-0 cruise at Mallorca despite the absence of several injured veterans.

Catalan daily Sport asked its readers on Sunday 'Does Barcelona have this league won already' and 52 per cent have voted 'yes'.

Meanwhile, 68 per cent of the readers of Mundo Deportivo, another Barcelona sports paper, have answered 'yes' to the question 'Do you think that Real Madrid have lost the league in Riazor (the stadium of Deportivo?'

The Catalan and Madrid media agreed, on Sunday, that Real were unlucky in Riazor. They hit the woodwork twice in a frenetic finale and forced a string of impressive saves from veteran Deportivo keeper Daniel Aranzubia.

However, there was also agreement that the whites are still behind Barca in terms of collective functioning, tactical awareness and individual inspiration.

Real star Cristiano Ronaldo was singled out for special criticism. Several times during the game he waved his arms in frustration at team-mates who did not pass him the ball.

Ronaldo was heavily criticized for his selfishness by television channel TeleMadrid during and after the match. Early on Sunday, radio station Cadena SER commented that 'he (Ronaldo) will have to learn to be more of a team player...He sometimes seems obsessed with his duel with (Lionel) Messi.'

Messi is Barcelona's star and FIFA World Player - well ahead of Ronaldo - for the past two years. Until two weeks ago Ronaldo was ahead of Messi in the Spanish scorers' chart but the little Argentine, who scored Barca's first goal against Mallorca, is now ahead 26 goals to 24.

Meanwhile, an opinion poll taken by Madrid daily AS suggested, on Sunday, that the 'madridista' fans are getting tired of the excuses of coach Jose Mourinho.

After the Deportivo draw Mourinho - whose team have won just one of their four away games in 2011 - criticized the Spanish football federation for Real having to again play their match after Barcelona's game, something that he claims favours the Catalans.

'The people who draw up the calendar,' he said 'are laughing at us. They know exactly what they are doing. This has not just happened recently, it has been going on since the first moment.'

However, 70 per cent of readers of AS - most of whom are Real fans - have voted 'no' to the question 'Is Mourinho right in his complaints about the calendar?'

Since taking charge at Real eight months ago, Mourinho has annoyed the federation with his criticism of the fixture list and of referees, and has also become unpopular with disparaging remarks about his fellow coaches.

In addition, he is locked in a bitter dispute with Jorge Valdano, Real's general director, whom he has forbidden from travelling with the team and entering the dressing room.

According to media reports, Mourinho has threatened club president Florentino Perez that he will quit at the end of the season unless Valdano's powers are severely curtailed.

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