Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu believes the mental aspect of the game played a big role in the title race with the Catalans proving to be stronger than Real Madrid.
Los Cules clinched the league title with a game to spare thanks to their win at Atletico de Madrid on Sunday. Back in the autumn, Madrid seemed to be marching towards the La Liga title for the first time since 2012 thanks to an incredible winning run – 22 games in all competitions.
At the winter break, Carlo Ancelotti’s men lead by a point with a game in hand. But a poor second half of the campaign allowed Barcelona back into the fold and to get ahead – a lead they would never give up. Real dropped valuable points at Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal and Valencia.
Speaking to AS, the French defender said: “Madrid fought hard and made life difficult for us, but they collapsed mentally toward the end of the season. We only got better in the final games of the season and were better in the end. I came to Barcelona to win titles and I am delighted to have conquered La Liga.”
Real Madrid won the double last year, but Barcelona are looking to go one better this year. Having conquered La Liga, they will also play in the finals of the Copa del Rey and Champions League.
