FC Barcelona remain focused on domestic success
Although they continue to be under controversy and financial struggles, there is a growing sense that FC Barcelona can be restored to their former levels of greatness, gradually rebuilding a team that is capable of challenging for top honours on all fronts.
Opportunity to lay one hand on LaLiga title
Regardless of what happens against Manchester United at Old Trafford, as Barcelona looks to make progress in the UEFA Europa League following the pulsating 2-2 draw at Camp Nou, the team led by Xavi Hernández has improved significantly on the domestic front.
They are top of LaLiga Santander and have amassed an eight-point lead above arch-rivals Real Madrid, who remain the only side to have beaten Los Culés in the league this season.
Barcelona will clearly be looking to avenge that defeat in the return league fixture, scheduled for 19 March, and this next El Clásico in LaLiga could shape the destiny of the title race.
Should they take all three points from that contest at home, it would give Los Culés a practically unassailable lead at the summit, providing their excellent form and consistency against other teams they can maintain.
This would certainly be an important sign of progress for Barcelona, having failed to win LaLiga since the 2018-19 season, when the iconic figure of Lionel Messi still donned the famous blaugrana (blue and scarlet) shirt.
But subsequent years have been uneasy for this once mighty club, struggling through economic hardships and the burden of massive debts, just to keep treading water financially. This has inevitably forced the departure of many key players.
Barcelona still backed by massive international support
In spite of the monetary complexities that have forced major stars to leave the club, including the departure of Messi to Paris Saint-Germain in July 2021, Barcelona still enjoys passionate support in practically every corner of the globe.
This includes the Philippines, where an enthusiastic and vibrant community of supporters reside. Regardless of being so far away, the FC Barcelona Philippines page on Facebook has amassed a following of thousands.
Just like Barcelona fans in Spain and elsewhere around the world, Filipino supporters will be relishing the next El Clásico games with renewed optimism. Now, their team seems genuinely capable of challenging Real Madrid for the top domestic honours.
Interestingly, this is a view that leading international sportsbooks share. They are currently pricing Barça as the runaway outright favourites to win the 2022-23 LaLiga title.
But given how thrilling El Clásico duels have always been in LaLiga, should Real Madrid win against Barcelona in March, this race for the title would be far from over.
For those keen to wager on the outcome, online betting Philippines coverage will be all the more compelling, requiring the kind of expert advice and analysis that only SBO can provide in detail. This includes highlighting where the most competitive odds and offers are present.
Double delight for El Clásico fans
While the race for LaLiga could essentially be decided by one key game, Barcelona and Real Madrid are also set for another clash of titans in the Copa del Rey, featuring two riveting encounters held over two legs in the semi-finals of the competition.
The first leg of this compelling tie will be on 2 March at the Santiago Bernabéu. Los Blancos will clearly be looking to make the most of home advantage.
The decisive second leg will happen on 5 April at Camp Nou. Barcelona is keen to book their passage to the Copa del Rey final. As they have last won the competition with a 4-0 rout against Athletic Bilbao in 2020-21.
Once again, the Spanish RFEF will be hosting the Copa del Rey final at Estadio La Cartuja in Seville. Wherein the winners of the Barcelona versus Real Madrid tie will face either Osasuna or Athletic Bilbao.
During the next month or so, the domestic trophy fates of both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona could well be decided. Which only increases the already high demand for El Clásico coverage.
Typically, global viewership for these games can surpass 600 million globally. This might easily be surpassed, given what is at stake between the two sides. Fans in the Philippines can tune into the action via Setanta Sports or BeIN Sports.
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