Well, it’s about time Barcelona and Real Madrid reacquainted themselves.
After becoming more familiar with one another than usual during an unprecedented quartet of matches in a 17-day span last spring, Barca and Real Madrid finally knock heads in the 2011-12 campaign on Saturday night at the Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, EPL action continues through the weekend, with a featured match on Monday pitting high-flying Manchester City and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. More on that one in a moment.
All eyes in Europe and elsewhere, however, will be on “El Clasico” Saturday at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu off of the Paseo de la Castellana. A check of European wagering shops shows a Real Madrid win priced at 7/5, with the take-back on a Barca win at 9/5. The draw is fairly priced at 5/2, while you’ll be laying 8/11 on the ‘over’ 2½ goals. Kickoff time on Saturday will be 4:00 p.m. (ET), with coverage in the states provided by ESPN3.
The appeal of El Derbi is further enhanced by the fact that the final trio of candidates up for the 2011 Ballon d’Or all come from one of these two sides: Barca’s Xavi and Lionel Messi, and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
A quick look at the Liga table indicates a bit more urgency in this matchup probably exists on the Barcelona side, as the Blaugrana sit three points adrift of leaders Real Madrid heading into the match. Moreover, the host Los Blancos have a game in hand over Barca. Not to over-dramatize the impact of this confrontation, but if Real Madrid can win, pull six points up on Barca and have a game in hand over the old enemy, the chances of the Liga trophy returning to the Bernabeu grow exponentially.
It would be hard to find two more dominating European sides, with goal differential providing confirmation. After 14 matches, Real Madrid own a staggering +39 with Barca at +40 after 15 matches. Given the way these two are dominating the rest of Liga, we can see what the consequences might be if Real Madrid can extend its advantage at the top of the table. It would be hard to envision anyone other than Barcelona topping Real Madrid the rest of the way (Real Madrid’s only Liga loss coming early in the season at local foe Levante when Ronaldo was slowed by an ankle injury).
Although the attacking options are rich on both sides, matches between the two, perhaps because of the familiarity factor, became uncharacteristically tedious last spring. Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho seemed content to concede the possession battle to Barca, letting Xavi, Iniesta and Messi play kick-about all they wanted, while looking to attack on the counter. The strategy only worked in the Copa del Rey finale in which Real Madrid prevailed 1-0.
Mourinho became justifiably concerned at the prospects of opening up the matches after his side was routed by Barca, 5-0, in a late November match last term. The question this week in Spain is if Mourinho is going to close up shop once again and look to beat Barca on the counter, which proved his only chance a year ago.
We can say, however, that the Barca midfield possession axis should, by sheer weight of ball-control, be able to short-circuit the Real Madrid strike force that has been on song all autumn. The goals have been flying for Los Merengues, with Cristiano Ronaldo (17 goals) and strike partner Gonzalo Higuain (12 goals) leading the way, but the pair was effectively muffled by Barca’s ball-control tactics last spring. We would not expect Ronaldo, Higuain, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria or any other of Mourinho’s strike force to run riot on Saturday night.
Barcelona enters in perhaps its richest vein of form this term, having won four in a row by an aggregate 14-0. Barca keeper Victor Valdes has also usually risen to the occasion in his personal battles vs. Real Madrid counterpart Iker Casillas in the past.
Meanwhile, the Monday night battle in London between Man City and Chelsea rates as the EPL’s featured matchup of the week. English wagering shops show a Chelsea win priced at 3/2, with Man City success getting punters a 9/5 the other way. The draw looks rather attractive at 12/5, with even money being listed at ‘under’ the total of 2½ goals. Kickoff time at Stamford Bridge will be 3:00 p.m. (ET), with coverage in the states provided by ESPN2.
Although the host Blues have fallen well off the pace (set by City) at the top of the EPL table, there is suddenly an air of excitement at the Bridge after Chelsea’s pair of 3-0 wins over Newcastle and then against Valencia in Champions League action that secured passage into the knockout phase of Europe’s premier club competition next February.
The wins were important for first-year manager Angel Villas-Boas, who had been under increasing scrutiny after Chelsea had lost five of its previous nine matches. Notoriously trigger-happy owner Roman Abramovich had canned previous gaffers for lesser transgressions, and rumors have been flying in South London.
Yet there is hope that Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, slow to recover from an early-season concussion, is now back at peak form after his brace in the midweek romp past Valencia. Although Villas-Boas aligned itself uncharacteristically deep on the defensive end vs. Los Che, suggesting that Cheslea might be tempted into a similar cat-and-mouse strategy vs. City.
Unlike Chelsea, City has saved its best efforts for the EPL this term rather than Europe, as its Champions League adventure has been a bit uneven. City entered its midweek UCL matchup with Bayern Munich in desperate trouble to reach the final 16.
In the EPL, however, Roberto Mancini’s men have taken control of proceedings, rocketing to the top of the table thanks to a cluster of impressive wins, including a 6-1 rout over Man United. Chelsea not only has to keep an eye on strikers Sergio Aguero (11 goals) and Edin Dzeko (10 goals), but also figure out a way to contain the marauding influence of attacking midfielder David Silva, who has been running the City engine room with aplomb.
Another bonus for City has been the work of GK Joe Hart, who has conceded only 13 goals in 14 EPL matches. If Chelsea continues its recent good form, perhaps it has a chance, although we might be more interested in the tasty draw price being quoted.