Barcelona and Real
Madrid, the two most successful clubs sides in Spanish soccer clash
tonight in the 265th edition of El Clasico, arguably the
world’s fiercest football rivalry and all eyes will be on Estadio
Camp Nou never disappoints in entertainment and controversy.
The two giants come
into the match on the back of two contrasting forms!
Real Madrid sit atop
the table, six point ahead of their Catalan rivals win tonight for
Zinedine Zidane’s side will open a nine-point gap, a nightmare to
Barcelona fans in the race for the season’s La Liga title.
Los Blancos, as Real
Madrid is popularly called, are un-defeated in the 32 matches since
April and recently welcomed their most important yet under-rated
defensive midfielder Venancio Casimiro aka Casemiro, back from
injury.
The other notable
absentees are talismanic winger, Gareth Bale and German midfield
machine, Toni Kroos.
The
Bale-Benzema-Christiano (BBC)-attack will not test itself against a
usually suspect Barcelona defence, because of Bale’s injury and
Karim Benzema’s on and off appearances so far.
Bale’s absence which
deprives Madrid of a devastating physical and counter-attack play,
the presence of the little magician who is never short of moments of
brilliance to decide great matches and the pressure that Barcelona
must react after successive and disappointing draws in the last two
La Liga matches, is enough
fire to drive the feared tik-taka juggernaut to destroy their
inform rivals!
Andreas Iniesta,
Barcelona captain and one of the planet’s most brilliant
midfielders is back from injury, and his presence at the centre is
set to test Madrid’s midfield which is without its cog, Kroos.
It’s not only an El
Clasico on the field but also on the touchline. Barcelona’s Luis
Enrique scored five goals while Zidane hit three during their
playing stints at two of Spain’s most prestigious sides.
It promises
awe-inspiring moments and scenes of madness too!
Perhaps the most
enduring yet infamous memory is back in 2002, Portuguese legend, Luis
Figo on his return to the Camp Nou, police had to escort him on his
corner-kick duties as missiles poured from Barcelona’s home crowd
that never hid its rage after Figo traded the Blaugrana for Los
Blancos!
A pig’s head was
hurled too at the midfield gem, considered a traitor by Catalonians.
Granted it remains the
most controversial transfer in world history, not on the financial
bit but the betrayal of loyalty in the eyes of the fans.
In 2005, Ronaldinho, at
the peak of his powers drew a standing ovation from a packed Santiago
Bernabeu with a virtuoso performance capped by two goals, as
Barcelona won 3-0!
Two years later, Messi
used the stage to announce his arrival on arrival, becoming the first
player in years to hit a hat-trick in a 3-all draw.
The un-disputed
masterclass however came in November 2010, when a Pep Guardiola
Barcelona destroyed Real Madrid 5-0, inflicting an eternal wound in a
team led by one of the world’s best tacticians, Jose Mourinho!
Away from the usual
Christiano-Messi rivalry, and expected sparks from Neymar, Luis
Suarez, Benzema and Sergio Ramos there are several men who, in the
eyes of soccer pundits, will undoubtedly define tonight’s match.
Real Madrid’s
ever-green rampaging left-back Marcelo, who packs a deadly offensive
threat, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Barcelona’s goalkeeper who has
redefined the man between the sticks with his masterly build-up with
his feet, Luka Modric and Iniesta, two great midfielders on the
opposite sides, will be key
in tonight’s duel!
