14 kilometers separate Barcelona from Real Madrid

Barça are on a fast track towards a place in the Champions League semifinals with Real Madrid needing a minor miracle at the Bernabéu next week to keep their Euro dreams alive.

One can spend hours analysing both quarter-final games this week but it seems clear that physical disposition, effort, and collective cohesion emerge as the most obvious distinction between the two teams with Barça digging deep and an apathetic air descending over Real Madrid as they were outclassed in the second half in London.

Barcelona ran 115.7 kilometers against Borussia Dortmund in a high-tempo match where Pedri (11.5 km), De Jong (11.4 km), and Raphinha (11.1) were the players who covered the most distance. These numbers attest to the overall commitment of a team that contrasts dramatically with their rivals from the Spanish capital as Real Madrid only covered 101.2 kilometers in the resounding defeat against Arsenal, 14.5 less than Barcelona.

The dynamics of Madrid

The Gunners won comfortably on the night and eclipsed the LaLiga giants in distance covered too. According to official UEFA data, Ancelotti’s players covered 101.2 kilometers at the Emirates, Arteta’s, 113.9 which is a difference of 12.7 kilometers and this is like having one less player on the pitch...

In addition to scoring the 3-0, Mikel Merino was, according to data from El Chiringuito, the player who covered the most distance in the match: 12 kilometers. The three most outstanding players for Madrid were far behind: Camavinga (10.5 km), Bellingham (10.3) and Vinicius (9.9).

Not counting this week’s matches, only one Real Madrid player is among the 30 players who have covered the most miles this season in the Champions League with Valverde, 15th in the overall ranking with 120.1 kilometers. Bellingham appears in 32nd place, with 110.3 km; and Rüdiger in 43rd, with 105.8 km. And yet, in terms of minutes, there are five Real Madrid players among the 20 players who have spent the most time on the pitch...

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