Saturday, April 10, 22:00 CET – Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

The biggest football game in the world

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”
Babe Ruth

Two hundred and sixty million Euros worth of a football team. Barbaric as it was, it instilled immediate fear as the words ‘Los Blancos’ and ‘Galacticos’ once again become a habitually spoken couple in sentences. However, if this mixture of overpriced acquisitions was to be Madrid’s method of embedding themselves with an instant explosion of success, they were in for a rude shock.

Results would come naturally to Real, after all they still had good players, however they would not flow through in a manner such as FC Barcelona’s results would. Manuel Pellegrini’ s troops failed to instil fear and leave teams scarred following a match. They failed to mark each game in such emphatic style that they created an instant reputation of a beast within the league, and an unstoppable force in Europe.
That was until, the new year began.

“When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality.”
Joe Paterno

It was seemingly only a matter of time. But the expenditure began to pay off for Real Madrid. The team began to gel, it began to play as one, and most importantly, it began to wreak havoc. The team that was impressive once merely on paper, became the demon that would also haunt the football pitch. Following a hiccup at Athletic Bilbao, Real Madrid hit the ground running and their supreme reign of terror began. Attacking, menacing and punishable football became the facet, as result after result began to pour in spectacularly. It was thus that whilst the pendulum of form had swung over the Spanish capital, Catalunya was experiencing a period of trouble, unaided by the stellar form of Real Madrid which had sent a distinguished worry and panic streaming through the blood of Culés.

There was a period of time in which there was barely even a contest.

For the shortest of moments it seemed that Barcelona had the league in the palm of their hand and would waltz home unscathed and uncontested. It seemed that in fact Madrid had made a mistake, that Florentino Perez was liable and that in turn Los Blancos would suffer. This assumption was wrong. They conspicuously lurked, like a leopard stalking its prey, burrowed and hidden away in the dark corners of the league table Madrid sat, waiting, and slowly moving. As Barcelona made minor errors, Real continued to press, continued to watch, and continued to edge forever closer.

Barcelona, unawares. Madrid, perpetually gaining. It was on Saturday the 6th of March that the inevitable was finally relinquished. An own goal by captain Carles Puyolwas too much for FC Barcelona to cancel out, as a bland, and cringing tie ended in a 2-2 draw against Almeria. Thus seeing the Blaugrana drop points and thus seeing Real Madrid cruise into first place. What was once unthinkable, what was once a mere nightmare, had become a terrifying and confronting reality.

In Spain, the league table is set out in a simple format. Teams are assigned 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw andin turn no points are awarded for a loss. Upon the completion of each of the 38 professional matches, the team with the most points wins the league andin turn second, third, fourth and so on and so forth.

However, there is the occasional occurrence – however rare – in which two sides will, upon the league’s commencement, be standing level at the pinnacle of the table; the factor which separates the two sides in this situation is their Head to Head record.

In the Spanish Primera season of 2006/07 the league concluded in June, however the champions were decided in October.

Barcelona had that season leapt forth following a stellar campaign in 2005/6 in which the Blaugrana claimed both the UEFA Champions League and the league title in spectacular fashion. By the next season however, Madrid were back. The mammoth losses of Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane were the go ahead for an injection of talent in which Fabio Cannavaro and Ruud van Nistelrooy were among the biggest additions.

Success in Catalunya is rarely held for long, for the immediate response from Madrid’s chequebook will be handy to make amends time and time again, and make amends it did. On the 22nd of October, Real Madrid took to the stage in the Santiago Bernabeu to take on the team that had mauled them 3-0 in the same stadium the previous season, FC Barcelona. Not only did they outplay them, but Real Madrid won the game 2-0.

Not much would be thought of this game in May or June whilst on the run home in La Liga, however little did any team know that a game played in October would be the deciding factor in determining the league champion. Barcelona and Real Madrid drew 3-3 in their second encounter, meaning that the men in white had a superior head to head record over their bitter rivals.

76 points. That was the number in which Barcelona would cease La Liga, it was also the number in which Real Madrid would do the same on. The head to head record would read 4 points to 1 in favour of Madrid. Barcelona would mourn, and Real would celebrate, for the league champions had been crowned.

However it could have so easily gone the other way. A mere month before the season’s end, Barcelona took the lead against a struggling Real Betis via a Ronaldinho penalty in the 5th minute. Barcelona would take 18 shots to Real Betis’s 4, they would maintain 62% of possession, and they would dominate play entirely.

Right up until the 89th minute. A sucker punch was delivered, Real Betis’s leading goalscorer Rafael Sobis scored with seconds remaining in the match to hand Barcelona a draw. Had that goal not been scored, had Barca held on for the last seconds, they would have won the league.

On the same match day, a similar event occurred in Madrid. Los Blancos were facing ‘the other team of Catalunya’ in Espanyol. Normally cast into disregard, Espanyol would enter this match against Real Madrid knowing that it was what is known as a ‘dead rubber’ or a match with no purpose as Espanyol were locked in the middle of the table and going simply nowhere. If this was the case Espanyol in no way showed it. A 34 minute hat-trick by goal machine Walter Pandiani was separated by a lone van Nistelrooy strike to make the score a resounding 3-1. Madrid clawed back to tie the scoreline at 3-3 in the 57th minute. In the 90th minute, youngster Gonzalo Higuain scored to hand Real Madrid 3 points.

Had Espanyol held on for the last minute of the game, FC Barcelona would have won the league.

One week later, with a mere four weeks until the conclusion of the league, Real Madrid met Recreativo Huelva. Madrid cruised into a comfortable 2-0 lead in the 54th minute courtesy of Robinho and van Nistelrooy. Remarkably, Recreativo pulled back. Two goals in twelve minutes saw them make it 2-2 in the 85th minute. In the 91st minute, Roberto Carlos made the most of a defensive calamity by Recreativo to chip in the winner with seconds to spare.

If Recreativo had held their defence together in that one moment, FC Barcelona would have won the league.

The league was to cease in 14 days yet no winner stood resolute at the top of the table as Barcelona and Madrid’s positions remained in limbo. As Barcelona took on Espanyol, Madrid were to face the problematic and in-form Zaragoza. And it couldn’t had started worse for Real. Zaragoza’s star striker Diego Milito fired home a brace to put his side up 2-1 in the 64th minute as the heads of Real hung in disbelief.

In the 89th minute, Ruud van Nistelrooy made the most of a deflected shot to tap in his second, to tie the game for Madrid. If the deflection had bounced in a different direction, or had the attack been shut down, FC Barcelona would have won the league.

At the same time in the Camp Nou, after going up 2-1, Espanyol tied the game in the final minute of stoppage time through Raul Tamudo. Had Eto’o netted his sitter of an opportunity moments before, or had Barca held on for the dying seconds, they would have won the league.

One point stopped Barcelona from winning the Spanish Primera in 2007. However it could have as well been one hundred. There was no surprise that circumstances in the final month of football helped Madrid win and Barcelona lose the league. However the true champion was decided in October. Had the result in the Bernabeu been different, then Barcelona would have been crowned Spanish champions. It was one point too many for the Blaugrana, this time things will be different. There will be no second chances, there will be no ‘what ifs’, there will be no excuses. What there will be is a football, a pitch, twenty two players and 90 minutes. Welcome to El Clásico.

The greatest rivalry in football. Not only due to its record breaking attendance and view rates. Not only due to the fact that unconditionally the best players in the world will be partaking. Not only because these two sides are among the most prestigious and greatest on the planet. The greatness of this match is measured due to its extensions far beyond the limitations of football.

It dates back to days when blood was shed and lives were lost. The civil war of Spain paved the way for this match to take place. It is Catalunya vs the main land. Fans die in this match, the passion surrounding this blockbuster encounter is depicted by the pressuring thickness of the atmosphere and by the sheer hatred and loathing which infests the match day. This match’s purpose – if even identifiable – is to discover which of the two teams are the better. Recent form can be analysed, but it is unable to tell you this. Real Madrid could have lost every single game in La Liga this season whilst Barça could have been undefeated, yet Real would still give Barcelona the fight of a lifetime. This is because of one thing, this match is a rivalry match, and rivalry matches cannot be predicted.

When Real Madrid started this season, they set their sights on only one thing. This was to better the performance of their treble winning rivals from 2009. They had a plan; this plan failed.

Before you could say ‘eliminated’ Real had done just that in both the Copa del Rey (in the second round) and the UEFA Champions League (in the last 16), sending an eruption of embarrassment soaring over a red-faced Madrid.

Was this to become a blessing? As Barcelona began playing a match every 3 days Madrid became guaranteed of a 7 day spaced schedule in which concentration could be set solely on retaining the league, a competition which they have won on 31 occasions.

In 26 days, Barcelona have played 8 games, averaging a game every 3 days, whereas in the same time span Madrid have played 5 games, averaging a game every 5 days. In the last fortnight, Madrid have also had the luxury of only experiencing two games, whilst Pep Guardiola’s Gladiators have partaken in four. Devastating numbers like these point to fans seeing fatigue levels in Barcelona hit an all time high. If this was the case, the Blaugrana certainly do have an odd way of showing it.

It was vintage Barcelona, back to their best. When Arsenal took the lead in the 19th minute an eruption burst forth in North London, parties were set alight as Nicklas Bendter made the most of a slight mishap in defence by the Blaugrana to orchestrate a well worked goal to give his side the lead 3-2 on aggregate. However as Arsenal sung, Culés barely even broke a sweat, for they had been in this position many times before, and coming from behind has never been a difficult task when in Catalunya. Not once, not twice, but on four occasions the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year and Barcelona’s leading goalscorer Lionel Messi struck gold as he led his team to one of the most emphatic of victories of the season, as Barcelona cruised into a third successive semi-final in the UEFA Champions League.

Remarkably, the same score line was dealt to Athletic Bilbao by Barcelona three days before the Arsenal match as a Bojan-lead front line continued their impressive home record in La Liga.

Thus, with the mention of the words ‘home record’, we are drawn to the distasteful reality that faces Barcelona, it’s players and it’s fans for El Clásico. It is the distressing statistic that this season in the Spanish Primera, Real Madrid have yet to lose or draw a single game when inside their home ground of the Santiago Bernabeu.

Statistical Breakdown*

Within the prestigious arena, Real Madrid are a different side altogether. They have scored a mammoth 50 goals in 15 matches – an average of 3.3 goals every game when playing in the Bernabeu – whereas they have conceded a mere 13 – an average of 0.8 goals per game.

Casting a view on the away record of Barcelona, the world champions have only lost once when on the road, ironically in Madrid against Atletico. The Blaugrana have drawn four whilst winning the other 10. When on the road however, Barcelona have managed only 32 goals – averaging 2 a game – whilst they have conceded only 10, an average of 0.6 per game.

Historically, there have been 79 El Clásico matches within the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Of the 79, Madrid have won 50, whilst Barcelona have won 15, with the other 14 being drawn. A more recent past of the almighty Bernabeu leg (the past 10 seasons) show Real Madrid having come out on top on 5 occasions, whilst Barcelona have won 3, whilst the remainder were tied.

*All statistics are from the league.

Team News

Real Madrid

Former FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka has lost his race against time in order to be fit for tonight’s clash with Barcelona ,with the Brazilian being absent once again from Manuel Pellegrini’s 19-man squad in which Karim Benzema and Lassana Diarra have made their long awaited returns. A cloud has been raised over the fitness of Xabi Alonso after the former Liverpool playmaker missed his team’s training on Friday due to an ankle sprain.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain have proved to be a devastating duet in attack and will both lead the brigade forth in the Bernabeu.

Predicted Starting XI, Real Madrid: Casillas – Ramos – Albiol – Garay – Arbeloa – Lass – Granero – Van der Vaart – Guti – Ronaldo – Higuain

Barcelona

Reports are beginning to escalate out of the Catalan capital that star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been omitted from Guardiola’s squad to face Madrid due to a muscle tear in his calf that was sustained in the pre-match warm up against Athletic Bilbao. Although reports have indicated that he is fit and available for the match, no official announcement has been made and although it is unlikely that Ibrahimovic will start, it is even more unlikely that he will not take part.
Meanwhile Eric Abidal is once again out after the Frenchman sustained a pull to his left thigh’s abductor muscle in the match against Arsenal.
However on the good news front for Barcelona, Andres Iniesta made his return to action as a substitute against Arsenal and as a result is expected to line up for the game as is Gerard Pique, who was on Friday discharged of injury following a hamstring problem sustained mid week.

Guardiola’s tactics for this match will without a doubt decide the game. If past trends are to be followed, then one should be led to believe that Josep will opt to play Iniesta in a deeper role with Busquets playing further up the park. Culés would also be advised that when searching for Lionel Messi during the game, looking toward the right of the field will be ineffective as the pint-sized Argentine is a sure money bet to be played as a second striker in the centre of the park, offering support to the centralized Pedro and Thierry Henry.

Predicted Starting XI, Barcelona:Valdes – Alves – Puyol – Pique – Maxwell – Iniesta – Xavi – Busquets – Messi – Pedro – Henry

Key Players

Gonzalo Higuain

It is ironic that the player who poses the greatest threat in this match toward Barcelona cost Real Madrid 13.8% of the price that was paid to land Cristiano Ronaldo.
Gonzalo Higuain has been conspicuously shining at his club for the best part of two seasons and has only now begun to well and truly step into the spot light. The French-born Argentine International has strung together many stellar and often match-saving performances for Madrid and now has the chance to prove himself against the greatest team on the planet.
The stage is set for Higuain to step up, and step up he should.

Lionel Messi

Was there even a point of reading this?

“Lionel Messi is like Playstation.” The words of a dumbfounded and shell shocked Arsene Wenger said it all. The phenomenal fourth goal displayed it all, that Messi is simply the best. After last month bagging consecutive hat tricks, ‘La Pulga’ launched the go ahead for an onslaught of praise that put to bed all comparisons between himself and Maradona, and merely stated what was obvious: he is better than Maradona. Not only this, but he is the greatest on the planet, and the factor that distinguishes him most from Portuguese counterpart Cristiano Ronaldo is Messi’s ability to be the decisive factor in matches of enormous prestige and importance. This match fits that description and thus this match is made for Messi.

Prediction

It has been spoken that this game is not decisive. What has been spoken is a lie.

The significance of this match cannot be stressed enough. For months either side has been waiting, hoping and praying that their rivals would slip up, and now is the opportunity to force that slip up. This is a rare occasion in Spanish football, however at the conclusion of tomorrow’s game a leader in La Liga will be clearly identified.

A draw for Barcelona see’s them go top, as does a win, however it is not to be spoken of as to what the outcome would be should the Blaugrana falter, as losing is not an option in this game.

No regrets can be held, for although there are 8 games remaining in the league, the final whistle in this match could be the final whistle which holds the most importance toward Barcelona’s chase for Spanish glory.

Undefeated at home and seemingly flawless Real Madrid are in truly sizzling form, their ‘match every 7 days’ schedule will see them in far superior shape to their opponents, or will it? In fact, Barcelona could be better described as match fit. They have gone unfalteringly through what is to be regarded as the business end of the season, and their performance against Arsenal just goes to show why they are the World Champions.

In big matches this season, Real Madrid have struggled, conceding ample goals as well as coming off considerably lucky on a number of accounts. Meanwhile ,their Catalan counterpart’s performances in significant fixtures this season have been the shining point, having won 3 major tournament finals already as well as truly dominating the UEFA Champions League, whilst defeating each of the teams within the top four of La Liga at least once.

Experience is abundant in Catalunya, and matches of this prestige are won on this quality.

“Barcelona are the best team I have ever seen.”
Michel Robinson

It is time for the Blaugrana to truly show this.

The stage is set, and although the scoreline may remain considerably low, Real Madrid should prepare for utter humiliation.

Real Madrid 0 – 2 Barcelona

Leo10.

Special Thanks goes to Anup Ghatage for putting together that fantastic video.