Spain’s biggest league fixture is this weekend, so what can we expect?
Tomorrow night sees the resumption of hostilities between the two biggest teams in Spain, so in preparation for what is going to be a huge game, you can relive some of the biggest moments from recent match-ups between Barcelona and Real Madrid in this fantastic video.
From red cards to fights and individual pieces of brilliance, the Clásico very rarely disappoints. The teams have had fierce encounters throughout the history of their rivalry, and this fixture often takes on a charged political atmosphere, certainly in the past, when it was seen as the political centre versus the vocal outsiders, the right wing versus the left. This is perhaps an unfair portrait of both clubs (in particular Madrid) but given the city’s central position within the country and the club’s association with Franco in the years of his dictatorship, there has been a polarisation of the two groups, and after all, it makes for a much better storyline. With all that history in mind, there is a special air about this season’s game, and in a period of serious economic crisis in Spain, this game seemingly drifts into a realm where the money spent by La Liga’s twin leviathans has no importance. Unless they lose, of course.
Both teams made huge summer signings, and while the fee paid for Gareth Bale dwarfed the price that Barcelona forked over for Neymar, both players will be considered more or less a success if they put in a good performance here. Neymar has already proven to be settling in well with some important contributions, notably against Celtic in the Champions League and grabbing a vital goal against Atlético Madrid in the Super Cup, but Bale has yet to really hit top form.
That is possibly due to injury, of course, which has been an issue for the Wales international. Last week, there was controversy when the papers claimed that he had a very serious back condition, and Madrid were forced to come out and deny those reports, but he has certainly been eased into life at the Bernabeu by Ancelotti, who is more than aware of the effect that such a high price tag could have on the player. He received a great welcome from the fans at the game on Wednesday against Juventus, but he may not be given such a good reception at the Camp Nou tomorrow night.
Lionel Messi is only recently back to full fitness himself after suffering an injury against Almeria earlier this season, and he will be looking to return to action with a good performance. Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino will be getting his first taste of the biggest fixture in world football this weekend too, and he feels his team are much better prepared to deal with different types of play should Madrid prove difficult to break down with passing moves. It’s not what they’re known for, but Martino has been attempting to strike a balance between the tiki-taka football that the Catalan side have become synonymous with and looking for the direct pass when they think its on. If a team sits back, he wants to find another way to break them down, but with the most expensive attacking talent in the world at his disposal, Carlo Ancelotti (another Clásico debutant) will more than likely not be looking to soak up too much pressure.
Madrid have only won three of the fixtures in the Camp Nou in the last ten years, so a victory would be a tough task, but with three points between the two sides, this game could well be decisive when it comes to who gets awarded the title on the final day.
All of this means that there is plenty too look forward to tomorrow, but one thing we’ll almost definitely see will be a huge mosaic from the Barcelona fans, and their anthem El Cant del Bar¸a. Here’s a pretty fantastic version from a recent Clásico that will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing up.
Jose Mourinho has claimed that the won’t be watching seeing as the fixture doesn’t interest him, but we think he might be in the minority there. JOE will be cracking open a beer, sitting back, and watching the best footballers on the planet play out one of the great spectacles of world football. Not bad for a Saturday night.
