Barcelona vs Real Madrid 1-2
Cristiano Ronaldo 73'
Real Madrid vs Barcelona (Slow Motion HD 1080p) - El Clásico
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| photo by Christopher Johnson |
- by Allison Norris, writing from Salt Lake City, Utah
My soccer-watching experience is an interesting one. On the one hand, I support Barca – arguably the best team in the entire world, while on the other hand I also support my home team Real Salt Lake. I can’t help but compare my two favorite teams, finding many similarities in style of play and team philosophy. With RSL, I have seen the best of times and the worst of times. In the past, I knew what it felt like to have my team at the bottom of the league and laughed at on every corner of the newspaper. Now, I admit I’m relatively new to European football. I grew up watching local high school games and have branched out as the years went on, as opposed to some kids whose first words were Pele or Maradona. As a result, I picked up watching Barca at just the right time and it seems like they’ve never known anything but first or second position in the table.
Maybe I’m a little spoiled when it comes to La Liga. Perhaps I should spend a season supporting Getafe or Osasuna or – heaven forbid – Espanyol. Then I might see how La Liga works a little better. Maybe. But I’ve spent enough time with a team at the bottom of the league to understand what a good thing is, and to know good things do not last. Eventually the Xavis, the Iniestas and the Messis have to retire and an era will end. But that won’t be for some time yet. I look forward to proudly showing my Messi jersey to my great-grandchildren, saying, “This was the team that was unstoppable.” Until the smart-alecky kids will point out, “Then how come they aren’t still playing?” Unfortunately by that time, no one will go outdoors anymore and the only games kids will know are on digital. Kids won’t understand what it means when I tell them Messi could run 16 MPH with the ball. “What’s running???”
Ok, forget that tangent.
As it stands, Real Madrid currently sits at the top of the table, three points ahead of the demi-gods, Barcelona. It’s early in the second half of the season and I’m sure Madrid will blaze forward with all confidence. Those three points ahead of their rivals will be very valuable. In my biased mind, I always picture Real Madrid as having too much confidence. They get a few points ahead and Mourinho’s scowl turns to a smirk, though it’s difficult to tell the difference. Cristiano goes on a hat-trick tear, Ramos throws trophies off buses, and Kaka smiles a lot (sometimes I forget Kaka is on their team because he’s so quiet). Barca, in the mean time, take a look at that distance of points between them, and get back to work. Pep gives out assurance that things will be well and it’s not too late. It all culminates around that El Clasico in April.
We can really learn a lot about life through this game. You can work and work your whole life, dedicating hours and hours of blood, sweat and tears to some goal only to have it get messed up at the last moment by some person who can do whatever it is you were doing without the slightest effort. Sometimes things don’t work out as you plan. Most of the time things don’t. But that’s just Madrid talking. Barca always plans to win, even when they fall behind for a second. They’re the kids with all the luck in the world and the skills to make everyone else just look sub-par.
To be fair, I wasn’t around in 1899 to be the first fan of Barca. I had to jump on a bandwagon at some point, and it’s not like I was supporting a different team before. I saw Real Madrid play in Salt Lake City in 2006, but I didn’t instantly fall in love with them. I didn’t even understand why everyone started yelling RUUUUUUUD! when they announced the line-ups. I only knew two words: Beck ham.
And so, here we go. Another downhill sprint to the top of the table for La Liga with many prominent matches to come. Though, things do get kind of monotonous when everything just keeps going according to plan. I’d like to see Madrid really try for it. I’d love to see Valencia jump ahead and get in that place they want to be. But, more than all that, I’m perfectly content to watch the Barca goals keep coming. It’s great fun.
At the Dubai International Sports Conference Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo said that he likes La Liga better than the English Premier League because it allows individual players to shine. Pretty much what he is saying is that he likes it because it makes him look good. Selfish players say selfish things.
Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2009 and has scored 86 goals in 79 appearances. Last year he became the first player to score 40 or more goals in a La Liga season.
Today Getafe FC showed the world that the "Best Team in the World" can be beaten. Juan Valera Espin scored the only goal in Getafe's 1-0 victory. Barcelona are now 6 points behind Real Madrid.
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| photo by docteur es sport |
- by Allison Norris, writing from Salt Lake City, Utah
One of the more interesting moments of La Liga last season was the ultimate El Classico which pitted FC Barcelona against its heated rival, Real Madrid, in a series of four games in three weeks. For those who watched all four match ups, it seems a miracle no one was seriously injured. Barcelona was, no doubt, trying to obtain the coveted Treble—the La Liga title, the Champions League title, and the Spanish Copa del Rey. Certainly not many people doubted they would repeat their 2008-09 successes but the match for the Copa del Rey said otherwise. The seemingly unbeatable Catalans failed, proving they were not immortal.
Madrid took the trophy home—though they subsequently tossed it off their celebration bus in a form of poetic justice for FCB supporters.
While Barcelona, and certainly Real Madrid remain very dominant contenders for the La Liga title, it’s a little fun to speculate what this season could reveal about the potential of the other Liga teams who would like to close the gap. As it stands, Real Betis and Valencia are at the top of the table with FCB in fourth place and Real Madrid three more down in seventh place. Malaga is in third with Seville and Levante UD, tied for points with FCB, only just ahead of Madrid.
Valencia has always been pushing for that place at the top of the table, with a squad that is willing to go the distance. Their last match against FC Barcelona proved their ambition, keeping their opponents at bay until a late goal from Cesc Fabregas tied the match. A Valencia victory would have been a huge positive for the team but still, the match showed they were able to compete.
Real Betis sits on top of the league with maximum points, surprising everyone with such a brilliant start to the new season. The real test will come in the next few weeks, where they will have the opportunity to demonstrate it hasn’t been all luck.
Barcelona has had trouble securing a win of late and Real Madrid have had trouble even getting on the board. These, of course, are the judgments of only a few matches and the season is still very young. All could be back to “normal” within a few short weeks. That, of course, is what everyone is suspecting.
As entertaining as it is to watch teams like Barcelona or Madrid play the way they do and seemingly glide through their schedules, maybe things would be even more interesting if the tables turned. Besides, when you reach the top there is only one way to go and that’s back down. Has Barcelona reached its peak with nowhere else to go? Is Real Madrid letting their past spoiled chances get to them? Will teams like Sevilla, Valencia and Real Betis be the top competitors for the league’s undisputed champions?
On the other hand, when you look at Barcelona’s stats with seventeen goals scored in four matches, maybe the past speaks for itself. Messi is by no means tiring. Cristiano is no less determined. We’re only at the beginning of the season and the next ninety minutes can change everything.
- by Andrew McCarten, writing from Miami
The capital club, long Spain’s leader domestically and on the continent, last won the league in 2007/08 and have since been in the shadow of their all-conquering Catalan rivals, who have taken the world by storm with their incredible success and style of play.
The recent Barcelona dominance is an especially hard pill to swallow for Madridistas given their own side’s relative drought; in fact, last year’s Copa Del Rey triumph was the first time they lifted the trophy in almost twenty years, and given the financial power and high expectations the club has, 4 league titles and one Champions League title (most of which were in the first half of the decade) capped off a relatively lacklustre 2000-2010 period for Los Blancos. After the 5-0 massacre at the Nou Camp last November, it seemed almost nothing would bring Mourinho and company within striking distance of challenging Guardiola’s men. And Barcelona have strengthened, with Cesc Fabregas’s arrival finally completed, joining with highly rated Alexis Sanchez from Udinese to add to an already formidable squad.
Both had to settle for a spot on the bench for the second leg of the SuperCup, and given Barcelona were able to start the same eleven that convincingly beat Manchester United at Wembley, it would seem they are even tougher to surpass. But even towards the end of last season, there was hope. Reading roughly, Madrid evenly split the “World Series” of Clasicos in late April and early May, drawing twice, losing once, and winning the Copa Del Rey, and tempers on both sides were high throughout, with the “Special One” earning himself another touchline ban.
Marcelo’s horror tackle on Fabregas in injury-time of the SuperCup is the latest in a line of unsavory incidents on both sides, but the strife seems to have brought the team together. Never short of theatrics, Mourinho has expressed his belief that his former employers get preferential treatment on numerous occasions, even whilst at Inter Milan after their epic semi-final victory in the 2009/10 edition of the Champions League. And while the self-described “persona non grata” has undoubtedly killed off any goodwill he had earned from the supporters at the Nou Camp, his antics and fiery disposition seem to have lit a fire under the squad, and a range of signings since his appointment have proven to be successes. Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, and Angel Di Maria all had immediate impacts on the first team picture last term, and formed a vital core for the run to the Champions League semi-finals.
This transfer window has seen another slew of players join the squad. Left back Fabio Coentrao brought in from Benfica to compete with the excellent Marcelo, and both players’ ability to play on the wing gives the manager a versatile option on the left side. After leaving Madrid’s B side in search of first team football, Jose Callejon returns after four successful seasons at Espanyol, and the pacy winger will provide depth and skill on the flanks.Turkish duo Nuri Sahin and Hamit Altintop also bolster the midfield ranks. Sahin is just 22, and was a driving force behind Borussia Dortmund’s Bundesliga-winning campaign last year, while Altintop is an experienced central midfielder capable of sitting deep or playing further up the pitch. Raphael Varane seems one for the future, with the 18 year old centre back joining from Lens to learn from Ricardo Carvalho and Pepe, and could go on loan.
With Casillas in goal, and a back four of Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, and either Coentrao or Marcelo, with Raul Albiol and Alvaro Arbeloa for cover, performances like the one from the 5-0 loss should be a thing of the past. Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira excelled as the pivot players in Mourinho’s system, often a 4-2-3-1 against Barcelona, and Altintop provides an alternative as well as cover. It looks as if Lassanna Diarra will not be needed, but the French international remains for now. Sahin will compete with Ozil and Di Maria for time on the wings, and Callejon could feature either on the wing or as a forward. Cristiano Ronaldo has been employed as winger, central attacking midfielder, and even as a striker, but the return of a healthy Gonzalo Higuain, as well as the on-form Karim Benzema, will see him return to his customary role as the center of the attack.
Kaka again looks like he will struggle to feature. An early setback is surely not what the supporters desired, but with a new attitude and confidence under Mourinho, Real Madrid are on the way up – time will tell if they can meet or surpass Barcelona’s heights.
Cesc Fabregas has signed a five-year contract with Barcelona to complete his return to Camp Nou after eight years with Arsenal. Cesc was acquired for a fee of £35million. Barca plays Real Madrid in the second leg in the Spanish Supercopa on wednesday.
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| photo by Nicolai |
- by Adam Huntington, writing from Dundee, Scotland
Jesualdo Ferreira, who had been sacked by Porto after a poor season, was brought in to head this revolution. The Portuguese coach's managerial performance slump carried on and after nine league games, with only seven points, Ferreira was sacked. After being sacked by Real Madrid despite achieving 96 points in 09/10, their best points total in La Liga history, Manuel Pellegrini was approached and appointed the new manager of Malaga, immediately improving the struggling Bosquerones. Pellegrini signed Enzo Maresca, Martin Demichelis and Julio Baptista in the January transfer window, three names that may not be considered large, but nonetheless signified the start of a revolution. Baptista's nine goals in eleven games, coupled with the experience of Demichelis and Maresca helped lift Malaga to a very respectable 11th place finish in La Liga. At the end of last season, fans were understandably positive. With Pellegrini in place, a manager capable of getting the best out of their existing players and who could buy the right type of players, and a lot of money, Malaga suddenly became a big point of interest.
Already this summer, Malaga have made eight signings; Joris Mathijsen, Jeremy Toulalan, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ignacio Camacho, Nacho Monreal, Joaquin, Isco and most recently Santi Cazorla. These may not be household names, with the exception of Van Nistelrooy, but Pellegrini isn't buying flash-in-the-pan players that have had one good season, he's buying experience and knowledge. Joaquin and Cazorla, bought in from Valencia and Villarreal respectively, are two players with 17 years of La Liga under their belts. Toulalan was a regular starter for France before last year's World Cup explosion. Mathijsen looks to have been brought in to form a partnership with Demichelis, and Monreal should find himself starting at left back. Camacho might not start straight away, but at only 21, he's likely to learn a lot from Toulalan, Joaquin and Cazorla. Young signing Isco was taken from Valencia, where he was thought of as David Silva's natural replacement. Again a youth prospect, still only 19, will be surrounded by experience, specifically from Van Nistelrooy. Costing nothing, Malaga could have achieved the signing of the season in the veteran Dutch striker. A proven goalscoring in every league he's been in, van Nistelrooy's goals this season could easily propel Malaga into the higher, more coveted positions.
Before the Cazorla transfer was finalised, Malaga sporting director Antonio Fernandez hinted that their summer spending spree was almost over, but that they were open to more signings. Even now, with Cazorla a Malaga player, I wouldn't rule out any more signings. Pellegrini now has the difficult task of blending all these new players into his current side; replacing the spine of the team will take time to readjust, and if they continue to spend, I would expect to see a fair amount of dropped points at the start of the season. However, as previously mentioned, the Malaga manager hasn't bought big names with big egos, he's bought hard working players that should improve the clubs position. This is surely the right way to establish a club with money, rather than hastily buying in the world's elite and providing them with huge wages. Pellegrin and Fernandez are patient builders, looking at Malaga's long-term future. They fully understand that to take on Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid takes more than money, it takes time. This sensible approach should be applauded and revered. However, it's well known that when things don't go their way, fans can become impatient, frustrated and very vocal. I hope Sheik Al Thani doesn't listen, as Pellegrini's intelligent approach, given time, could lead Malaga to previously unthinkable heights.
Barcelona have agreed a deal to sign Alexis Sanchez from Udinese for a fee of €26 million ($37 million). The deal will be finalized once the winger passes a medical on Monday. Sanchez was voted the best player in Serie A last year, scoring 12 goals in 31 appearances.
Sanchez is expected to sign a five-year contract with the La Liga Champions.
“He’s very young,” Coach Pep Guardiola said on the club’s Web site. “He can play in all three attacking positions, he shows intense defensive skills, he’s direct and from what I’ve been told, he’s a very nice kid.”
source: soccernet.espn.go.com
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| photo by Bagunçêiro |
- by Adam Huntington, writing from Dundee, Scotland
His decision, on paper, was a simple one. The choice between Barcelona; possibly the greatest team of our generation, or Manchester City; a team undoubtedly on the rise, but still unestablished, should really have taken no time at all to make. The problem was that once money came into play, the choice became much more difficult. Renowned for paying ludicrous weekly wages to their players, it wouldn't have been a huge surprise for greed to envelop Sanchez and send him to Manchester. Udinese's director of sport, Fabrizio Larini, insisted that Sanchez's personal preference was "very important", which hints - quite refreshingly - that money wasn't the only factor in this transfer. However, the reported €50 million price tag Udinese threw around his neck goes a long way to contradict that statement, not that it's seemed to bother the Catalan giants.
With the deal starting last month, many want to know why hasn't it been closed out. The answer begins here; Sanchez is currently in Argentina with Chile, obviously meaning he cannot perform a medical or physically sign any sort of contract thus sealing the deal. However this is a slightly naive way of looking at events. For me, it's much more likely that Barca are having a good look at Sanchez in action, playing in tournament football with a lot of pressure and expectation on his shoulders. With that in mind, the most talked about player in the world seems to be handling things exceedingly well, which will surely please Barcelona no end. What won't please Pep Guardiola is the potential selection head-ache that Sanchez will most definitely give him.
Within the strongest team in the world, who does Guardiola lose to fit in the Chilean wonderkid? The front three of Messi, Villa and Pedro have proved time and time again to be ruthless against the best defences in club football. Messi's a permanent fixture so it's between Spain forwards Pedro and Villa, and between them; I believe Pedro will hold his place. The latter was, by his usual standards, poor for most of the second half of last season. He's also much older than both Pedro and the incoming Sanchez. A front line of Sanchez, Messi and Pedro would have an average age of just 23, a very attractive prospect for Guardiola, especially if he could keep them together for a number of years. Leaving a player of Villa's calibre out of the team will obviously have negative aspects; Barcelona would lose a lot of years experience and the only real out and out striker they have possess. Despite Messi's superhuman tally of goals, he's just not the poacher that Villa can be. I'm in no way hinting that goalscoring will suddenly become difficult for Barcelona if Villa is dropped, but they'll no longer have a player that can sit between the penalty spot and the 6-yard line. As I hinted, I think Barca will opt to start with Messi in the center of the forward three, flanked by Pedro and Sanchez. With Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets (or possibly Fabregas) behind them, the amount of creativity within the team is almost endless, which should mean that their fans are in for more beautiful football in the coming seasons.
The selection process will be an enthralling one come the start of the season as there's still the very real possibility that Cesc Fabregas will arrive from Arsenal. If he does so, one key question will surface; is there such a thing as having too many good players? Real Madrid have almost been in that situation before, but not with a team that have grown up together. Guardiola faces that challenge as well as trying to blending new players into a very together team. With that in mind, it may take Sanchez a while to perform to his true potential, but there's no doubt that by joining Barcelona, his potential has increased dramatically.
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| photo by Globovisión |
- by Adam Huntington, writing from Dundee, Scotland
El Submarino Amarillo, literally "The Yellow Submarine", can attribute their success to the quality spine of their team. From the fantastic Musacchio and Marchena in center back, through the midfield partnership of Senna and Bruno, and finally up to the lethal Nilmar and Rossi, Villarreal are solid. However these are not the only good players; Santi Cazorla played well last season from the wings, as did Valero. Left back Joan Capdevilla was consistently good again, and remained in the national team's starting eleven, no easy task when the Barca and Madrid squads are taken into account. Villarreal managed fourth place this season gone, playing well at home, but stumbling away from it. In that season, Giuseppe Rossi scored a phenomenal 32 goals in all competitions, an achievement that was probably overlooked due to Messi and Ronaldo's superhuman efforts.
However these good performances throughout the season also attract attention from other clubs, and Rossi now has a number of teams after his services. Spurs have been quoted, as have Juventus and none other than Barcelona, but it's hard to think where he would fit in at the latter. Juventus have also been heavily linked with Argentine wonderkid Aguero, who reportedly signed a new contract with Atletico which lowered his mandatory buy-out clause, making him cheaper for the Turin club. Juve have also recently signed Matri, who impressed whilst on loan, as well as already having Iaquinta, Del Piero, Toni and Quagliarella. Without selling at least two of them, it's inconceivable to think of Rossi arriving there. Spurs have been interested for a while, and could well make a move considering Robbie Keane looks poised to leave. With the possibility of Modric heading to rivals Chelsea, they could easily use the money to launch a bid for the Italian.
Fortunately for Villarreal fans, if Rossi does set sail there's a good chance that a large sum of money (something in the region of £30 million) should be received. Plenty to buy in some real quality and comprehensively replace him, maybe even better him. Unfortunately though, the papers and articles online have suggested a very uninspiring replacement in Wigan's Hugo Rodallega. Good for Wigan, but in my honest opinion, not fit to replace a player of Giuseppe Rossi's calibre. Hopefully no more than a lazy suggestion, it probably won't surface. I'd like to think that Villarreal are a little more clued in when it comes to potential replacements. Palermo's Abel Hernandez looks to be a very promising talent, and plays in much the same way as Rossi, if they're looking for a rough equivalent. For £30 million though, they can afford to be a little more ambitious as it should be enough to prize Cavani away from Napoli, or even Fiorentina's Jovetic - who was out for the entire season with injury - which would see him as support for striker Nilmar.
Hopefully, all this transfer talk surrounding Rossi completely hides the rest of the team from other clubs. I'm looking predominantly at Musacchio, the Argentine who has created a strong defensive partnership with veteran Marchena. The Spaniard looks to be passing on his experience to Musacchio, still only twenty years old. The two were excellent last season and it would be a shame to see them broken up, although the younger of the pairing looks destined for great things, whether they are at El Submarino Amarillo, or not.
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| photo by Jan S0L0 |
Manchester City was reportedly ready to make a £150 million bid for Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo said that he would not join Man City. "Money is not the most important thing." he said, "If it was for money I could have double what I have. If it was for money I would leave.
Madrid manager Jose Mourinho was part of the reason why CR is staying, and he even stated that he "would sign for 10 years. For Madrid, until the end of [his] career." Today we found out how important Jose Mourinho was to his decision.
"It’s flattering to be offered like £20m a year - it’s very good, but I spoke to my agent and I think it’s better to stay in Madrid because this year we’re going to be the best. This season we are going to be a big force. Jose Mourhino is staying at Madrid so I stay. If he went to Chelsea then I would have left. I would have gone to Manchester City. But now he’s staying, I’m staying.”
Ronaldo has scored 86 goals in 89 games for Madrid since arriving at the club from Manchester United in for a world record £80 million in 2009.
Sources: soccernet.espn.go.com
An animation by Richard Swarbrick. @RikkiLeaks
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Produced by Luke Arthur. @LukeRArthur
Music: Lady Labyrinth by Ludovico Einaudi
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| [photo by Ronnie Macdonald] |
- by Adam Huntington, writing from Dundee, Scotland
After a season that petered out rather disappointingly, Fabregas will relish the fresh start that Barcelona can offer. He'll be adored by his teammates, specifically Pique, who controversially forced a Barcelona top over his shoulders after Spain's World Cup triumph. Since that moment, many have said Fabregas has been a want-away, forlorn figure in the heart of Arsenal's midfield. Despite being out-shone by Wilshere though, he's still been a good player for the Gunners this season, but nothing like his fans have come to expect. Captain for two years, Arsenal fans have always looked to Fabregas with quiet awe. Upon his arrived he effortlessly fitted into Wenger's style of play and set about improving it. For a long time he's been rightfully hailed as Arsenal's best player, an accolade that amazingly has been slipping away from him due to both his midfield partner Wilshere and his lagging performances. Along with his form, he's seen his popularity fall, specifically for his behaviour on the last day of the season. Away to Fulham, Arsenal's injured skipper was no where near Craven Cottage, opting instead to attend the Spanish GP, in a move that left a bitter taste in the mouths of the fans. This single act of truancy summed up Cesc's entire season, surely signalling the end of his tenure at Arsenal.
The problem is that I don't feel Fabregas is the right player for Barcelona. He rarely starts for Spain, being held out of the team by Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Xabi Alonso and it's not unknown that three of those players are Barca's starting midfield trio. With the Catalan club playing so well this season, especially in midfield, it's hard to see who Fabregas is capable of replacing in the team. Xavi and Iniesta are unbelievably accomplished and Guardiola would never dream of separating them, but Busquets isn't exactly the weak link. He's not only brilliant on the ball and a commanding presence, he's also two years younger than Fabregas. Given that he can be played in a more advanced role, it's entirely feasible that Fabregas could fit into Barca's front three. However, that trio already contains Messi, Villa and Pedro: the world's current best player and two World Cup winners.
Purely based on form, it wouldn't be wise for Barcelona to sign Fabregas. This season, despite scoring nine in all competitions, he wasn't even the best midfielder for Arsenal, never mind the Premier League. Wilshere climbed above him, Nasri looked to be playing well until a huge dip in form, and even in his seven appearances, Aaron Ramsey looked almost back to his promising best. If Barcelona were looking into the Premier League for players based purely on their performance over the course of the season, Luka Modric would surely be snapped up. Confident in all roles of midfield, Modric offered a calm head, exquisite vision and was leaps and bounds, in technically ability, ahead of both his teammates and his opponents in the league.
All of their successes and plaudits this season have made the current Barca team one of the best in history. With this accolade stuck to them, it becomes incredibly difficult for them to improve and bring in players with the required quality. Not only that, these players have to play with the same style as Barcelona do; peerless in possession and tireless without it. It's then much easier to see why they would approach Fabregas, a former pupil at La Masia, Barcelona's youth academy. He knows their game well and knows the players as friends, this places him much higher in the pecking order, despite his disappointing lull in form. I won't be surprised if he signs, but I would expect he'll find himself on the bench more often than he's used to.
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| [photo by Jan S0L0] |
What do you think? Vote below.
- via Strikers.com
“We are obviously excited about having one of the world’s top clubs, F.C. Barcelona, coming to play in our community. We know our fans will appreciate the convenience of purchasing these tickets at our game on Saturday night. The soccer community is unified in its desire to sell out Sun Life Stadium for this extraordinary event,” said Strikers President Tim Robbie.
The Strikers will be selling premium seating in various price categories throughout Sun Life Stadium. Ticket prices range from $40 dollars up to $105. Below is a breakdown of all the tickets that will be on sale:
Sideline lower level - $105
Sideline upper level- $55
End zone lower level -$70
End zone upper level -$40
For more information you can call 954.606.0400 or visit www.strikers.com.
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| [photo by Oscar Gomez] |
- by Hiten Mandalia, writing from West London
With world class players in both teams, ‘El Clásicos’ never fail to disappoint. The games between the two always produces goals and both teams have an assest of two of the best players in the world at this present time.
Real Madrid possess the threat of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has pace, strength, blessed with unique skills and his ability to go pass players and score every type of goal possible. He has had his most prolific season as a player. Barcelona, on the other hand, have a genius in their team. He goes by the name of Lionel Messi. He’s quick, has amazing trickery, the ball’s glued to his feet and he’s scored some of the best goals ever. He has become the first ever player to score 50 goals in one season in the Spanish League. He has the world at his feet and you can only sit and admire at what he does on a football pitch. You could go as far as saying that he’s the Maradonna of today, and some could argue, maybe greater.
Despite Ronaldo and Messi being the best players in the world, both teams have players blessed with quality. Madrid have the likes of Casillias, Ramos, Kaka, Benzema and Higuain to name a few, while the Catalan giants have the likes of Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta and Villa to suggest a few. Both teams have their respective ways of playing and that’s down to the great managers both teams have.
Jose Mourinho, the manager of Real Madrid, has won many trophies with the likes of Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and now at Real Madrid. On the other hand, Guardiola is in his third season of managing Barcelona, and won the treble in his first. He has developed a philosphy at Barcelona and arguably, has created the best club team ever. I certainly know that the current Barcelona team are the best ever team I’ve witnessed since I’m been watching football.
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| [photo by Oscar Gomez] |
The first game was at the Camp Nou where Barcelona convincingly thrashed Madrid 5-0. However, since that defeat, Madrid have grown stronger as a team and Mourinho may have figured out a way to stop Barcelona playing. The word aggressive may come to mind. In the second league game of the season, Mourinho was criticized for negative tactics. The result was 1-1, with Messi and Ronaldo both breaking their ducks. It was both of their first goals in El Clásico. It could be argued that the league game was the least important out of the four, as Barcelona were eight points clear of Madrid, and the title look destined to head to Barcelona.
However, the Copa Del Rey Final did have it’s moments of flowing football and it was a nervy occasion which left the crowd on the edge of their seats. The match went to extra time, with the score being 0-0 after 90 minutes, but a well worked Madrid set up allowed Ronaldo to score a header in the 102 minute. Throughout the game, Mourinho used aggresive tactis to get at Barcelona and that proved effective. Real Madrid and Mourinho had mastered a victory over Barcelona and it was Mourinho’s first trophy at Madrid, but the real question remains, can Madrid produce the same result in the Champions League, when it matters most, or was this victoy a one off?
The Champions League Semi Final between the two Spanish giants will be a test of character to players and the managers of both teams. This is the trophy both teams really want to win, especially Real Madrid, who last won it in 2002; the era of the ‘Galaticos’. The real test will be what team will be able to handle the pressure, who can handle the occasion mentally, and who will be more hungry to reach the final in Wembley. Despite the last two games between the two not being the greatest, rest assured, the semi final will be of a different class. Both teams will surely go out and attack and want this more then ever.
This will be the last chapter of ‘El Clásico’ this season and it’s one not to be missed. Two of the biggest clubs in world football, battling it out for a place in the final at Wembley in Europe’s most prestigious club competition – the Champions League.