Real Madrid 1 Barcelona 1
Messi 53 pen Ronaldo 82 pen
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Saturday night wasn’t a classic clasico.
But it was interesting.
It was the first of four clashes in 18 days and Mourinho’s team selection set the tone.
This was the Special One’s 50th game as Real Madrid coach and he feared another hiding, another 5-0 thrashing like last November, so he changed his team by putting a big muscular half-back line in front of his back four.
He had Ramos-Albiol-Carvalho-Marcelo at the back with Xabi Alonso-Pepe-Khedira in midfield.
He dropped Ozil, one of his best players this season, to park a powerful half-back line in front of his back four.
It was always going to be tight. Something had to give.
As a manager, Pep Guardiola had always won against Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo had never scored against Barcelona, Messi had never scored against a Jose Mourinho team, and David Villa had not scored in 9 games. Only Sergio Ramos had ever scored against Barcelona.
It was always going to be organised physicality against artistic possession, always going to be a big test for the returning Puyol, who came back, surprisingly, and played an hour at centreback.
With Pepe, a big, mobile centreback, playing the anchor role, it was a tactical battle, and Madrid started forcefully.
But after 20 minutes, Barcelona started to get a grip and their fast keep-ball game kept Madrid pinned back at times. It was a possession-blitzkreig.
As Messi flicked the ball past Marcelo, he handled and got a yellow card.
The battle of two Brazilian fullbacks was a duel within a contest : Dani Alves versus Marcelo for the Brazilian middleweight title.
Barcelona’s left back Adriano had a fine game and made a fantastic interception in the box to deny Ronaldo in 34, then cleared a header from Ronaldo off the line in 45. Adriano, signed from Sevilla, is also Brazilian.
It was 0-0 at half-time, so Mourinho’s belt-and-braces approach had worked. His approach was fierce and tactical and his thinking was : Don’t lose this game in the first 18 minutes !
When would the goal come?
What would decide this clasico? One pass from Iniesta? One cannonball from Cristiano? One header from a corner?
In 51, Ronaldo won a free-kick about 30 yards out and took it himself and hit an amazing dipper which clipped the outside of the post.
Then, in 81, Albiol panicked and grabbed David Villa round the throat and got sent off. Messi took it, Casillas dived to Messi\’s right, and Messi hit the penalty over his dive for 1-0 to the champions.
If Barcelona win this game, they’ll be 11 points clear with six points left.
Messi now had 49 goals for the season, a record for a player at a Spanish club.
Mourinho’s instant reply was to bring on Ozil. Keita came on for Puyol, who had done his hamstring, Adebayor came on, Madrid chased the ball in the Barcelona half, Afellay replaced Pedro, and Xavi and Iniesta showed how spurty they can be, producing little bursts of pace to beat a marker in centrefield, and find a little pocket of space that will give them a better angle for a killer pass.
In 81, Dani Alves made an ambitious challenge and touched the ball but Marcelo went down in the box and the ref gave it.
Ronaldo hit a terrific penalty with pace, just inside the post, with Victor Valdes going the other way. The lad can’t half kick a football.
Jose Mourinho said, “I would like to play one day against Barcelona with 11 men.”
I love Pep Guardiola more and more.
Because he is so succinct, and so demanding.
Pep said, “Always you learn something for the next game. Of course, we are gonna learn what we have to do to attack Real Madrid a bit better, and to control their counter-attacks.”
By that he means : We didn’t win ! He’s saying : I wanted to win!
Barcelona are eight points clear with a far superior goal difference and six to play.
The Copa del Rey final is on Wednesday night.
The football season has now come down to five Champions League games.
One of these Spanish clubs will play Schalke at Wembley. Or Man United.
No tournament in the summer.
Time for a break.
I need a break from football, big time.