Stage is set for an epic showdown between Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid

What a dramatic season this is turning out to be. A true showcase for Spanish football.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid have all qualified for the Champions League knockout stage, and now all three are into the Copa del Rey semi-finals as well, for the first time since 2014. In La Liga, just four points separate the rivals at the top of the table, with Real Madrid and Atleti facing off in a pivotal derby clash on Saturday.

Barcelona will be rooting for a Colchonero win, or at least a draw, to pull them closer to first place. The last time the two sides met, Real Madrid surrendered a last-minute goal, allowing Atleti to escape with a 1-1 tie. In Diego Simeone we trust.

Part of the intrigue the rest of the season will be to see how the managers approach the fixtures week to week.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid both booked an automatic ticket to the Champions League round of 16, while Real Madrid will have to play two extra games against Manchester City this month in order to make it in.

It was surprising to see Hansi Flick play Lamine Yamal the full 90 minutes against Valencia when the team was up 4-0 at half-time. Much of Barcelona’s success this season, I think most people will agree, will depend upon keeping their young superstar healthy and on the field. The two games off this month will help, but Flick also needs to be smarter and take advantage of opportunities game to game when he can.

Here’s the truth. Valencia is a dream matchup for Barcelona. As amazing as the 7-1, and 5-0 wins must feel, most opponents won’t approach them with such tactical naivete.

It’s very encouraging to see Ferran Torres come alive of late, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him more as a Robert Lewandowski alternative. There are certain matchups when having younger, more mobile legs, could come in handy. But he won’t be an adequate replacement for Raphinha or Lamine if they can’t play for whatever reason.

But knowing that his bench players are proving to be so hungry and effective in recent games has got to give Flick ideas.

You aren’t going to prioritize the Copa del Rey over the league or a European match at this stage. But maybe, in a two leg Copa semi-final, you can give a chance to players like Ferran, Fermin, and Eric Garcia, to shine. It makes even more sense when you’ve seen them succeed together already.

But those decisions are down the road.

What’s certain is that Hansi Flick, Carlo Ancelotti, and Diego Simeone will be in the spotlight going forward, and whatever choices they make, will be under scrutiny.

If you’re a fan of any of these teams, clear your calendar. You’ll be on the edge of your seat cheering for Barca’s rivals to fall as much as you’re cheering for them to win.

And lucky for you, there is a big game this weekend at the Santiago Bernabéu.

For Barcelona, the best advice is to focus on yourself. Don’t worry about Real Madrid and Atleti. Be smart and switched on every minute of every game, like Flick demanded when he arrived. The rest will take care of itself.

But as culers, the drama will be impossible to resist.

Rivalry games are always a fun watch. But this time, every one of them will be of consequence too.

This is Spanish football at its best. This is a season to savor.

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