Here, I will give you a breakdown of the two El Clasicos that have happened this week.
(WARNING: This may be a little biased, since I do support Real Madrid. I apologize if I offend any readers who support Barcelona.)
El Clasico. No matter how many times you’ve watched them, they never seem to disappoint. This showdown brings two of the greatest clubs in La Liga to prove which one is the absolute best. Generally speaking, I enjoy every El Clasico that I watch (regardless if Real Madrid win or lose) because each El Clasico you watch is unique and different. Same rivals, different outcomes.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Days prior to this match, I was somewhat doubtful regarding Real Madrid’s performance. Not having a successful run in La Liga and having either draws or losses in previous El Clasicos made me hesitant to believe Real Madrid could easily beat Barcelona. I would be lying if I said I was sure Real Madrid would make it to the Copa del Rey final.
From watching Tuesday’s El Clasico, I felt rather impressed with Real Madrid. The players were organized, well-composed, and stayed focused through the entirety of the match. This ultimately led the Merengues to a 3-1 win and gave them the golden-ticket to the Copa del Rey final. When there are big games that matter, you can always expect Real Madrid to put in 100 percent. Los Blancos deserved the win because they showed drive and desire more than Barça,
Not to say Barcelona did horrible because they didn’t. Barça constantly pressed the ball and played their usual tiki-taka tactics. At times during the match, I feared Barça were going to miraculously make a comeback. It was crucial for them to win this. After their 2-0 loss against Milan, Barça needed to prove to the world that they still meant business. It was unfortunate that particular miscommunications and errors led to Barcelona’s defeat. Part of the reason for Barcelona’s defeat could have been due to the fact Pinto replaced Valdes in goal. What do you think?
Bottom line: Barcelona pushed, but Real Madrid pushed harder.
Goals: 3 (RM): Ronaldo, Varane - 1 (FCB): Jordi Alba
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Before this match, I did not know what to expect (as with all El Clasico matches). This made me nervous. In order to secure a win, would Barcelona play with a greater force? Would Real Madrid become complacent due to tiredness from the first El Clasico and other previous matches? I was curious to know the answer. When I saw the starting XI, I began to question Mourinho’s decision to bench players like Ronaldo, Ozil, Higuain, and Arbeloa. Although this win wouldn’t significantly influence their current standings, I felt it would still be an important victory. Whoever wins this, ultimately gets bragging-rights.
Eventually, I realized that Mourinho did make the right decision. Real Madrid face Manchester United in a couple of days so it would make sense to rest key players. The Champions League should be Madrid’s main focus this season.
The second El Clasico did not seem to disappoint. Aside from the constant falling and yellow-cards, the pace was excellent from both sides throughout the match. There wasn’t a dull moment. Both clubs fought hard and it ultimately came down to who wanted it more. There were times Barcelona made me nervous. There were times where I thought Real Madrid needed a push. Defensively-speaking, I thought Real Madrid were stronger since they did have Varane. Their counter-attacks were also decent. Games like these make me understand why the El Clasico has so much hype. The outcome can go either way.
Goals: 2 (RM): Benzema, Ramos - 1 (FCB): Messi
It isn’t an El Clasico without controversies!
Red-card
After the final whistle blew, Valdes thought a PK should have been awarded to Barcelona and gave the referee a piece of his mind. In return, the ref gave Valdes two yellow cards.
Where’s Messi?
After two losses against Real Madrid, Barça fans question as to why Messi hasn’t been performing as well as they would like him to. From two of these matches, Messi has only scored 1 goal. This is very unlike him. Has the fatigue from previous matches finally hit him?
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| Image via Realmadrid.com |
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| Image via Realmadrid.com |
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| Image via Realmadrid.com |
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| Image via Realmadrid.com |
If you are a Barça supporter, tell me your thoughts! Have Real Madrid found a way to stop Barcelona? Was this just a lucky week for Real Madrid? Let me know in the comments below!
Written by: Laxmi Patel
Make sure to follow me on twitter: @OfficialLaxmi
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