You are trying too hard to prove that success in the CL will only happen if we forfeit the league. No the reason we played at such a high level for the past 3 seasons is not just 'physical readiness', its foolish to dismiss all the tactics and preparation put into each and every game by saying we can only play at that level because of our physical condition. You're reducing Barca's and Pep's brilliance to one single factor.
Your arguments all prove nothing, there a million other factors that play part in the CL fixtures, you are simply assuming they were all down to physical conditioning while there countless other factors that also played part. I could likewise dig up example where teams had a good league run and played well in the CL ( Barca did it two times in the past 2 season ), so your examples really prove nothing.
Anyways I won't get dragged into this league vs CL discussion because that isn't really my concern.
You forfeit the league when the gap is truly big enough where it would be illogical to pursue the league, but the gap only being 7 points with 3 of this points being completely in our hands? We should forfeit the league because of your theory that physical condition is the primary factor in our success the past 3 seasons? No thanks.
I still can't believe people believe Madrid will keep this up despite how subpar they've looked on numerous occasions this season. FFS they have 18 games to go.
They have the CL as well, and Jose will be dying to win this one, this will provide distraction for the league. Fatigue will become a factor for their team as well, and its only a matter of time before their defensive weaknesses cost them points. They won't always get bailed out. However according to you we should give them no pressure and let them have a free ride in the Liga.
Have you even considered that this will even allow them to prepare better for the CL? That it will increase their chances of doing better in the only competition you care about?
You are looking at this in a very narrow-minded fashion. It's not only about keeping out chances alive in the league, taking the league seriosuly will ensure we're keeping pressure on Madrid. The moment they stumble more pressure will mount, making it even more likely for them to drop more points and causing them and Jose headaches for the CL matches sandwiched in between. Your theory that giving the league up will somehow increase our CL chances is flawed because you are only looking at one factor in football and at only side of the equation (Barca), while ignoring how you approach will affect them positively. If I was Madrid I would be hoping you go down that route.
1. I already know I have 1 trophy for the season in the pack, hence less pressure on Jose and the team to at least win a trophy
2. My team can rest and players and prepare better for the CL ( the sole cause of you approach) with 0 pressure.
3. I am allowed to test out new strategies and tactics in preparation for the CL encounters with no worries about dropping points.
There are countless factors that will come into play to decide the fate of both competitions, and we should always have ourselves in the best position to win both.
You raise one valid point in that long post:
Barca giving up on La Liga, will also provide Madrid with the opportunity to relax with league games and also save legs for the CL. That much is certainly true.
But in the CL, there are more teams than us and Madrid, and if we have to face them with some of our best players injured or fatigued, then the unthinkable may as well happen. So resting players in some league games, does not provide us with any advantage over Madrid, but it certainly does vis a vis all the lesser sides still in the competition.
All that sounds nice in principle. But one more thing. Madrid are going for the title (they have it in the bag) and therefore cannot let themselves slip too much. They will have to keep alert until the gap grows even further. This simply means, that we cannot let each and every single Liga game just go.
Furthermore, I genuinely feel, that a fight to the death in both the CL and the league, can only benefit Madrid. They seem better prepared this season, have a deeper squad, are younger, more physical, have the refs on their side, much fewer injury problems and so on and so on. Therefore, a war of attrition, can only benefit Mierda in my book. We are a Ferrari, they are a tractor.
For example now, there is no serious problem for us in trying to beat Valencia on Sunday, since there is no mid-week game. The same applies for all those games that are not followed by any mid-week commitments. But when a CL game (not the Leverkusen one, but the QF and potentially after that) will be approaching, our attitude should be clear:
fuck it!!!
Another thing. Players coming from injury, should under no circumstance be rushed for a league game. Absolutely never!!! In fact, the league games should be precisely utilized so that our players (the squad as a whole) reach their absolute peak, when the crucial CL games arrive.
It's not that I am saying that we should score own goals in the league because it has already been lost, but that it must be used in such a way, so that our CL performances are aided in the greatest possible degree.
