After last season's incredible string of four El Clasico games in 16 days, Real Madrid and Barcelona returned to warfare in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup last night at the Santiago Bernabeu in the traditional two-legged tie between the La Liga Champions and Copa del Rey winners.
In what should be a pre-season warm up and run out for players returning from international duty, the game last night took on a session of bragging rights and holding ground before the season starts properly.
What transpired was a game befitting the term El Clasico, the greatest pre-season friendly ever seen, a match played at such a pace, with such cut and thrust, it left that which the Premier League could offer over its first weekend proper trailing in its wake.
The sheer physicality deployed by Real Madrid was brutal, and typical of Jose Mourinho's side. The midfield cannot match the gracefulness of Xavi and Iniesta, so instead intend to disrupt their flow by fouling and leaving a mark in the tackle, as Barca attempt to ghost away from challenges. Pepe and Xabi Alonso were generals of this army, with new baby-faced assassin Callejon joining the fray with a half hour remaining targeting Xavi especially.
Madrid started off much the livelier and gaining the lead after a dozen minutes when Benzema laid on a square pass to Mezut Ozil to convert pass Victor Valdes who was the busier of the two goalkeepers. And yet it was his opposite number, Iker Casillas who had to pick the ball out of the net twice. Firstly, due to a wonderful curler by David Villa and then by another slalom run by Messi who capitalised on some tentative defending by Madrid and then outmuscled any tacklers to give Barca a narrow (yet undeserving) half-time lead.
In the second half, the physicality to disrupt the Barcelona tempo was more apparent and eventually it came to fruition when after a scramble at a corner, Alonso placed a shot in the corner past a flat-footed Valdes, although the lack of attempted block and defenders turning their back will leave much for Guardiola to ponder - even though they hold the upper hand before the 2nd leg on Wednesday night at the Nou Camp.
When Madrid looked lively, I wondered if that was what we were going to see. A hungry and tenacious Madrid side who want to usurp Barcelona from the throne of Spain and Europe, a squad fully fit with new faces, whilst in Catalunya a team who may have reached their zenith and pinnacle. Messi and Alves looked tired after their Copa America exertions, yet Alexis Sanchez looked a great buy - a strong, versatile frontman who made good runs and defending from the front.
However, once the game got longer the thirst of competition and the rivalry came to the surface, Barcelona did not want to give their long-term rivals an inch of victory over them or anything to shout about. The Madrid onslaught in the last ten minutes could not muster a winner, and yet this pulsating tie has a second chapter in two days time. If it is anything like this game, it may leave you breathless but expectant for the forthcoming Spanish domestic campaign.
Showing posts with label Real Madrid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Madrid. Show all posts
Monday, 15 August 2011
Monday, 2 May 2011
What did Mourinho expect?
Jose Mourinho, has a problem. He has a problem with many things. He has a problem with referees. He has a problem with being second fiddle to Barcelona. He has a problem being second to Pep Guardiola. He has no such problem with languages; fluent in five languages means he knows how to get his point across.
His moaning before the first leg about psyching out Barcelona and the need of physicality to disrupt their passing flow anticpated an all out attack from Madrid. However, Mourinho did an about face and went all defensive employing a three man midfield to sit back and soak up pressure, also asking the front three of Ronaldo, Ozil and Di Maria to defend also, and instead of dictating the forward momentum, ask them to work only on the counter attack.
Ronaldo voiced his displeasure, Ozil came off at half time and Di Maria was ineffective; curious that considering they scored 6 goals at Valencia four days before, Benzema was only on the bench.
Coupled with the negative formation and tactics, Mourinho was asking for trouble when he brought up referring standards across Europe and his history of having a man sent off in four consecutive matches against the Catalan giants. Pepe's reckless tackle led to him becoming the fifth.
The suggestion before the game was that a Portugese official would have been appointed, now I do not know why UEFA would even let that story leak because appointed a countryman of Mourinho's would never occur to suffer the wrath of a biased view. So the German, Wolfgang Stark was appropriate, though I did find it funny having a German going in to try and administer calm between two warring nations. But both sets of players attempts to influence, Madrid upon Daniel Alves and Barcelona upon Pepe meant that the chance of impartiality was a long way away and put a bad taste in the mouth.
So what do UEFA do in appointing for the second leg but Franck de Bleeckere of Belgium; highly respected but the man who sent off Thiago Motta for Inter Milan at the Nou Camp at this stage last year, ultimately Motta's dismissal did not affect the result as Inter won the Champions Leauge. Will lightning strike twice? Probably not as Barcelona hold a two nil advantage, whilst Madrid have Pepe and Sergio Ramos suspended.
But after his dismissal from the bench last week and being expelled from the touchline for the second leg, Mourinho has lost his power to influence but the appointment of the Belgian is a deliberate slap across the face from the European governing body. I always think when you have two teams from the same country, maybe the solution should be a referee from that nation who has done these games before. But Mourinho should not have expected any favours, Tuesday night should be a procession for Barcelona as they head to Wembley's final on 28th May.
His moaning before the first leg about psyching out Barcelona and the need of physicality to disrupt their passing flow anticpated an all out attack from Madrid. However, Mourinho did an about face and went all defensive employing a three man midfield to sit back and soak up pressure, also asking the front three of Ronaldo, Ozil and Di Maria to defend also, and instead of dictating the forward momentum, ask them to work only on the counter attack.
Ronaldo voiced his displeasure, Ozil came off at half time and Di Maria was ineffective; curious that considering they scored 6 goals at Valencia four days before, Benzema was only on the bench.
Coupled with the negative formation and tactics, Mourinho was asking for trouble when he brought up referring standards across Europe and his history of having a man sent off in four consecutive matches against the Catalan giants. Pepe's reckless tackle led to him becoming the fifth.
The suggestion before the game was that a Portugese official would have been appointed, now I do not know why UEFA would even let that story leak because appointed a countryman of Mourinho's would never occur to suffer the wrath of a biased view. So the German, Wolfgang Stark was appropriate, though I did find it funny having a German going in to try and administer calm between two warring nations. But both sets of players attempts to influence, Madrid upon Daniel Alves and Barcelona upon Pepe meant that the chance of impartiality was a long way away and put a bad taste in the mouth.
So what do UEFA do in appointing for the second leg but Franck de Bleeckere of Belgium; highly respected but the man who sent off Thiago Motta for Inter Milan at the Nou Camp at this stage last year, ultimately Motta's dismissal did not affect the result as Inter won the Champions Leauge. Will lightning strike twice? Probably not as Barcelona hold a two nil advantage, whilst Madrid have Pepe and Sergio Ramos suspended.
But after his dismissal from the bench last week and being expelled from the touchline for the second leg, Mourinho has lost his power to influence but the appointment of the Belgian is a deliberate slap across the face from the European governing body. I always think when you have two teams from the same country, maybe the solution should be a referee from that nation who has done these games before. But Mourinho should not have expected any favours, Tuesday night should be a procession for Barcelona as they head to Wembley's final on 28th May.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Real Madrid v Barcelona UCL Semi-Final 1st Leg Preview
As the world waits with baited breathe for the El Clasico Champions League double-header, the focus on the clash of two goal-scoring machines and the midfield battle between Xavi and Xabi, may take focus away from the real battle and where this game may be won - defence.
Real Madrid have seemingly found a rich vein of form lately, and in the two recent El Clasico match ups have conceded only one goal to Barcelona and that was a penalty, a significant improvement from the famous 5-0 mauling at the Nou Camp in November when the single best team performance left egg on the Mourinho face.
Since then, though the defence has improved and the solidity of Iker Casillas and the growing responsibility of Carvalho has led to more clean sheets, along with the versatility of Pepe either next to Carvalho or as the marshall in midfield to disrupt the fluency of Xavi and Iniesta as some enforcer. Some critics likened Madrid's tactics last week in the Copa del Rey final as that of Holland versus Spain in the World Cup final, and only one player getting sent off issued another type of referreing leniency. The referee for tonight's game will certainly have his work cut out in the Santiago Bernebeau. Unfortunately, due to suspension Carvalho is unavailable for the 1st leg, so the idea of defensive stability maybe exploited by Messi and the out of form, David Villa
As for Barcelona, the return of Carlos Puyol and Gabriel Milito to defence will ease some headaches after the loss of Maxwell. And with Daniel Alves forsaking his defensive responsibilites down the right flank, Pep Guardiola may well play three centre backs in Puyol, Milito and Gerard Pique three giants to disrupt Ronaldo, Benzema and Ozil.
Yet Real Madrid are the team with momentum; they won 6-3 at Valencia on Saturday with goals coming from Benzema, Higuain (back from injury) and Kaka (back in favour).
And following the injury to Andres Iniesta, meaning he misses the first leg, Barcelona may well travel to Madrid with the plan of possible damage limitation and attempt to score a goal on the counter attack and get a vital away goal. Whilst, Jose Mourinho may well know that tonight is the night to put the knife into Barcelona and go for the jugular much like his Inter Milan side did in last year's semi-final first leg where a 3-1 advantage was too much to overturn - Madrid have the attacking thrust to exploit.
Without Iniesta, the advert for football is diminished and perhaps this might be the game of four El Clasico's in quick succession that may well fail to live up to expectations. However, it sure does whet the appetite and the anticipation for kick off at 7.45pm tonight on ITV1, cannot come soon enough.
I dare not predict the score, but if Howard Webb is referee. I predict a riot.
Real Madrid have seemingly found a rich vein of form lately, and in the two recent El Clasico match ups have conceded only one goal to Barcelona and that was a penalty, a significant improvement from the famous 5-0 mauling at the Nou Camp in November when the single best team performance left egg on the Mourinho face.
Since then, though the defence has improved and the solidity of Iker Casillas and the growing responsibility of Carvalho has led to more clean sheets, along with the versatility of Pepe either next to Carvalho or as the marshall in midfield to disrupt the fluency of Xavi and Iniesta as some enforcer. Some critics likened Madrid's tactics last week in the Copa del Rey final as that of Holland versus Spain in the World Cup final, and only one player getting sent off issued another type of referreing leniency. The referee for tonight's game will certainly have his work cut out in the Santiago Bernebeau. Unfortunately, due to suspension Carvalho is unavailable for the 1st leg, so the idea of defensive stability maybe exploited by Messi and the out of form, David Villa
As for Barcelona, the return of Carlos Puyol and Gabriel Milito to defence will ease some headaches after the loss of Maxwell. And with Daniel Alves forsaking his defensive responsibilites down the right flank, Pep Guardiola may well play three centre backs in Puyol, Milito and Gerard Pique three giants to disrupt Ronaldo, Benzema and Ozil.
Yet Real Madrid are the team with momentum; they won 6-3 at Valencia on Saturday with goals coming from Benzema, Higuain (back from injury) and Kaka (back in favour).
And following the injury to Andres Iniesta, meaning he misses the first leg, Barcelona may well travel to Madrid with the plan of possible damage limitation and attempt to score a goal on the counter attack and get a vital away goal. Whilst, Jose Mourinho may well know that tonight is the night to put the knife into Barcelona and go for the jugular much like his Inter Milan side did in last year's semi-final first leg where a 3-1 advantage was too much to overturn - Madrid have the attacking thrust to exploit.
Without Iniesta, the advert for football is diminished and perhaps this might be the game of four El Clasico's in quick succession that may well fail to live up to expectations. However, it sure does whet the appetite and the anticipation for kick off at 7.45pm tonight on ITV1, cannot come soon enough.
I dare not predict the score, but if Howard Webb is referee. I predict a riot.
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