El Clásico
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Spanish football goes into overdrive this weekend as Barcelona travel to Santiago Bernabeú to face Real Madrid in what most are billing as the match which will decide this year's title.
This game has a lot of similarities with last year’s second El Clásico which was played on 2 May 2009 in the Santiago Bernabeú.
Going into the game, Real Madrid had won 17 out of the 18 games in the run-up to that one. Having replaced Bernd Schuster for Juande Ramos after the defeat in the first El Clásico which had left them 12 points adrift of their fierce rivals, Real went on a phenomenal run to recover somewhat and get back into the title race. However, they were still four points behind Barça.
In Guardiola’s miraculous first season, Barça had wowed everyone with their approach and were on their way to completing an historic treble. Since the first El Clásico, Barça won 14 out of the next 17 and still appeared to be on course for the title. However, Real’s resurgence promised to make it a tight encounter.
Amazingly, the opposite occurred. Barça thrashed Real 6-2 in the Santiago Bernabeú, their biggest win at the Bernabeú since a 5-0 victory on 17 February 1974 and the biggest away victory in El Clásico since Real’s 7-1 win in the Nou Camp in the 1962-63 season.
It was a fine display of attacking football by Barça who fell behind to Gonzalo Higuaín’s 14th minute header. Within four minutes, the score was 1-1 when Henry levelled before Carles Puyol and Lionel Messi made it 3-1 by half-time. Sergio Ramos pulled one back for Real but Henry and Messi both doubled their tallies before Gerard Piqué sealed the impressive victory which set it up for Barça to clinch their 19th La Liga title.
Going into this weekend’s game, Real have won their last 12 games while Barça have won their last five and are unbeaten since their 2-1 defeat to Atlético de Madrid on St. Valentine’s Day which was eight games ago.
Both sides are level at the summit on 77 points after playing 30 games each. Real are top by virtue of better goal difference by one goal. Real have + 57, Barça have +56. Real have scored more, while Barça have the better defence. As positions in La Liga are decided on a head-to-head basis and Barça won 1-0 in the Nou Camp back on 29 November thanks to Zlatan Ibrahimovic‘s goal, Real will need to win by two or more goals should the sides finish level on points at the end of the season.
Of course, El Clásico is always a big game in Spain. Real and Barça are the two biggest clubs in Spain, with Los Merengues boasting 32.8% of the Spanish nation as fans while Barça are the preferred team of 25.7% of Spaniards. That figure was recorded in 2007 and it is conceivable that Guardiola’s current side have won them many more admirers with their free-flowing style.
El Clásico means more than just a football match between the two biggest sides. Real Madrid are seen as the pinnacle of Spanish football and have had a long association with Spanish nationalism, which was highly prevalent during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. The club are a symbol of Spanish pride to some. They are also the most successful Spanish club of all time, with 31 La Liga titles and nine European Cups forming part of their massive trophy haul.
Barça represent the people and culture of Cataluña and are a symbol of Catalan nationalism and resistance to the Spanish nation. This is passed on to the players and could be seen last year when Puyol celebrated his goal in the Bernabeú by removing his Catalan flag captain’s armband and kissing it fervently. They are famous for their slogan “Més que un club”, the Catalan for “more than a club”, a small sign of what they represent.
Barcelona are also known for never having a sponsor on their shirt until 2006. Since then, the charity UNICEF has been emblazoned on their jerseys. The deal actually costs Barça money, who agreed to donate €1.5 million a year for five years.
The Spanish media are currently wetting themselves at this week’s clash. If it weren’t for Barça’s Champions League tie with Arsenal on Tuesday, the media would be even more indulged in the El Clásico build-up.
As it stands, Marca are already harping on about it while television channel La Sexta are running a preview programme everyday between Monday and Saturday at half-twelve.
Come ten o’clock on Saturday evening, the Spanish nation will be fixed to their telly screens in their homes and bars, eagerly anticipating the match of Spain’s biggest rivalry which could go a long way to deciding the fate of 2010’s La Liga title.
This game has a lot of similarities with last year’s second El Clásico which was played on 2 May 2009 in the Santiago Bernabeú.
Going into the game, Real Madrid had won 17 out of the 18 games in the run-up to that one. Having replaced Bernd Schuster for Juande Ramos after the defeat in the first El Clásico which had left them 12 points adrift of their fierce rivals, Real went on a phenomenal run to recover somewhat and get back into the title race. However, they were still four points behind Barça.
In Guardiola’s miraculous first season, Barça had wowed everyone with their approach and were on their way to completing an historic treble. Since the first El Clásico, Barça won 14 out of the next 17 and still appeared to be on course for the title. However, Real’s resurgence promised to make it a tight encounter.
Amazingly, the opposite occurred. Barça thrashed Real 6-2 in the Santiago Bernabeú, their biggest win at the Bernabeú since a 5-0 victory on 17 February 1974 and the biggest away victory in El Clásico since Real’s 7-1 win in the Nou Camp in the 1962-63 season.
It was a fine display of attacking football by Barça who fell behind to Gonzalo Higuaín’s 14th minute header. Within four minutes, the score was 1-1 when Henry levelled before Carles Puyol and Lionel Messi made it 3-1 by half-time. Sergio Ramos pulled one back for Real but Henry and Messi both doubled their tallies before Gerard Piqué sealed the impressive victory which set it up for Barça to clinch their 19th La Liga title.
Going into this weekend’s game, Real have won their last 12 games while Barça have won their last five and are unbeaten since their 2-1 defeat to Atlético de Madrid on St. Valentine’s Day which was eight games ago.
Both sides are level at the summit on 77 points after playing 30 games each. Real are top by virtue of better goal difference by one goal. Real have + 57, Barça have +56. Real have scored more, while Barça have the better defence. As positions in La Liga are decided on a head-to-head basis and Barça won 1-0 in the Nou Camp back on 29 November thanks to Zlatan Ibrahimovic‘s goal, Real will need to win by two or more goals should the sides finish level on points at the end of the season.
Of course, El Clásico is always a big game in Spain. Real and Barça are the two biggest clubs in Spain, with Los Merengues boasting 32.8% of the Spanish nation as fans while Barça are the preferred team of 25.7% of Spaniards. That figure was recorded in 2007 and it is conceivable that Guardiola’s current side have won them many more admirers with their free-flowing style.
El Clásico means more than just a football match between the two biggest sides. Real Madrid are seen as the pinnacle of Spanish football and have had a long association with Spanish nationalism, which was highly prevalent during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. The club are a symbol of Spanish pride to some. They are also the most successful Spanish club of all time, with 31 La Liga titles and nine European Cups forming part of their massive trophy haul.
Barça represent the people and culture of Cataluña and are a symbol of Catalan nationalism and resistance to the Spanish nation. This is passed on to the players and could be seen last year when Puyol celebrated his goal in the Bernabeú by removing his Catalan flag captain’s armband and kissing it fervently. They are famous for their slogan “Més que un club”, the Catalan for “more than a club”, a small sign of what they represent.
Barcelona are also known for never having a sponsor on their shirt until 2006. Since then, the charity UNICEF has been emblazoned on their jerseys. The deal actually costs Barça money, who agreed to donate €1.5 million a year for five years.
The Spanish media are currently wetting themselves at this week’s clash. If it weren’t for Barça’s Champions League tie with Arsenal on Tuesday, the media would be even more indulged in the El Clásico build-up.
As it stands, Marca are already harping on about it while television channel La Sexta are running a preview programme everyday between Monday and Saturday at half-twelve.
Come ten o’clock on Saturday evening, the Spanish nation will be fixed to their telly screens in their homes and bars, eagerly anticipating the match of Spain’s biggest rivalry which could go a long way to deciding the fate of 2010’s La Liga title.
About Finbarr O'Sullivan
Currently working in Brazil, Finbarr will be giving his take on Brazilian football in his regular Extratime.ie column. Finbarr peviously studied in Spain and worked in the Czech Republic and had regular column pieces on … View Full Profile