Real Madrid midfielder reminds Barcelona there is a long way to go in La Liga

Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso says that Barcelona must remember there is a long way yet to go in the race for the La Liga title, despite the Catalan giants’ comprehensive 5-0 victory in the El Clasico fixture.

The sides met for the first time this season at the Camp Nou on Monday 29 November, and Alonso was ineffectual against a remarkable Barca side.

His Spain international colleagues Xavi Hernandez, Pedro Rodriguez and David Villa all got on the scoresheet, with Villa taking advantage of two precise passes by FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi to grab a brace. Spain Under-21 international Jeffren
Suarez netted the fifth goal in injury-time.

The result was Barca’s biggest win over Madrid in 16 years and, as well as handing Los Blancos manager Jose Mourinho his heaviest-ever defeat with any of the clubs he has managed, the victory pushed them two points above Madrid at the top of the La Liga
standings.

However, there are still 25 games to be played this season, and former Liverpool man Alonso reminded the Blaugrana that the title race is far from over.

He told reporters: “We did not expect this game, but there are a lot of league matches to go and this is not over. They got off the mark early and then a second followed quickly. It was very complicated, and we have not done well. But we cannot worry about
it now. We must simply learn from the mistakes that we have made.”

If Madrid are to bounce back from their first defeat of the season at the first time of asking, they will have to do so against a side who have impressed so far this term in Valencia on Saturday 4 December.

Los Che are currently sitting in fifth place in La Liga and have also qualified for the first knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League.