Lessons from the titans of Spanish football: Taking a long-term view on Europe

Spanish football has been dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona for as long as anyone can recall. Other teams have tasted significant success – Athletic Bilbao, Atlético Madrid, Real Sociedad, even Deportivo de La Coruña – but the narrative has traditionally revolved around these two titans. Their dominance is such that any slip-up is customarily treated as nothing short of a disaster. Draws are regarded as ruinous, while defeats are akin to the end of life as we know it. In effect, short-term stumbles are allowed to completely obscure long-term prospects.  There is a lesson here for...