How Real Madrid Can Avoid Giving Barcelona Dreaded Guard of Honor at Next Clasico

The arch-enemies are scheduled to face off on May 10 at Camp Nou.

Real Madrid’s chances of winning La Liga this season are very slim. | Ismael Adnan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

With six games of the season left to play, Real Madrid’s chance of winning the La Liga title is more than a long shot.

Barcelona hold a nine-point lead at the top of the table, with Álvaro Arbeloa’s team now seemingly destined for a second successive season without a major trophy. Opta’s supercomputer gives Hansi Flick’s men a 97.83% likelihood of retaining their domestic title.

Madrid go to Real Betis on Friday night with the objective of keeping their faint hopes of catching their great rivals alive, while they must at the very least make Barça work for their crown.

Another key motivation for winning at La Cartuja will be the goal of not having to think about the possibility of giving a wince-enducing guard of honor when the two teams meet at Camp Nou for the final Clásico of the season on May 10.

---

Avoiding the Need for a ‘Pasillo’

The “pasillo” is a common tradition in Spanish football. | Guillermo Martinez/NurPhoto via Getty Images

In Spain, as in many countries, if a team has mathematically been confirmed as La Liga champions during the campaign, they are typically given a pasillo (guard of honor) by their opposition before kick-off in their remaining fixtures.

Madrid have occasionally opted out of the tradition, notably snubbing Barcelona after this season’s Supercopa final in Jeddah and during a controversial league meeting at Camp Nou towards the end of the 2017–18 campaign.

However, in order to stop the pasillo from becoming a talking point, Madrid must now ensure they don’t slip up in their next two games against Betis and Espanyol. If they do, they would grant Barça the possibility of opening up a points gap greater than 12 with four games to play when they meet.

---

Barcelona and Real Madrid’s Remaining La Liga Fixtures

Álvaro Arbeloa has vowed to keep fighting in the title race. | Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Frustratingly, should the points deficit remain as it is until gameweek 35, the issue is that Barcelona could then win the league with a victory against Madrid to extend their lead to an unassailable 12 points with three games to play.

The ideal scenario for Madrid, of course, is that Barça drop points in their next two games (both away) against Getafe and Osasuna removing that as a possibility and opening up a genuine title race.

---

Real Madrid and Barcelona’s remaining fixtures

Gameweek	Real Madrid	Barcelona
33	Real Betis (a)	Getafe (a)
34	Espanyol (a)	Osasuna (a)
35	Barcelona (a)	Real Madrid (h)
36	Real Oviedo (h)	Deportivo Alavés (a)
37	Sevilla (a)	Real Betis (h)
38	Athletic Club (h)	Valencia (a)

---

Arbeloa, meanwhile, has promised to keep fighting for the title until it is no longer possible.

He told reporters following Tuesday’s win over Alavés: “Until there are mathematically no opportunities, there is a league. Until then, we will continue fighting for it.

“We have three consecutive away games, all of them difficult, like all away games, but these three will be even more. We have to make a big effort if we want to achieve anything in Seville.

“Now we're looking ahead to the match in Seville against a great rival in a great stadium.”

---