The tie is back! After a month from where Madrid last left Barcelona in a dump they will go back to Camp Nou to face them again. 18 Yard Box has a look at the two teams and determines the outcome this mega important clash.
Barcelona go into this game well ahead of Madrid. However this contest just might determine who will be eventual title winner at the end of this season. 18 Yard Box looks at the tie closely and determines as to who will come as eventual champions.
Barcelona
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| Can the two provide much needed impetus at the back for Barca? |
Strengths
Barcelona's qualities are not hidden. Everywhere on the pitch they have special players. With the likes of Messi to that of Thiago Alcantra, Barcelona are a special team. Known as another version of Spain, Barcelona's La Massia academy has produced some breath taking footballers over the years. Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Fabregas, Jordi Alba are all its product.
Slick one touch passing football alongwith individual brilliance has been Barcelona's strong point over the past decade. And this has continued even after Pep's reign is over. What strengthens the Barcelona team this year is their latest signings of Alex Song and Jordi Alba.
Barcelona have been accused of draining Arsenal's talent over the years and they have taken another dig at the Emirates. Alex Song, arguably Arsenal's second best player departed ways with the Gunners to join what he called as the 'best team on the planet'. He not only brings a defensive side to the game but is also ingrained in the Barca way. The second recruit in the form of Jordi Alba has sorted Barcelona's left back problems ever since the days of Eric Abidal. The attacking left back has added another dimension to the Blaugrana's game and also looks to fit. Skilful on the ball, both players can make a dent in Real Madrid's title ambitions this season.
Weakness
Inspite of buying Alex Song and Jordi Alba, Barcelona still lack the defensive steel at the back. Both players are known to get forward and expose the defense to counter attacks. Moreover, the recent injury problems with Puyol and the off colour Pique has left Barcelona with only a make shift defense of Song and Mascherano. Alves and Alba have been convincing going front but they stutter when they need to defend.
The lack of height also concerns Barcelona. With Segio Busquets being the tallest man in the team, the defence is prone to dead ball situations and long balls. Barring this it is almost impossible to find a weakness but one thing is for sure. They are not the same side as they were under Pep Guardiola. Another cause of concern is Messi's performance. Having set himself such high standards in the previous seasons, he looks a little off colour comparatively. However we can back the former world player of the year to shrug that off and continue to mock Ronaldo when they do meet.
Real Madrid
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| He would surely like to join the party alongwith Messi and Ronaldo |
On the flip side Jose Mourinho has some introspection to do. The 'Special One's' team has not been upto the mark ever since their Supercopa win over Barcelona. Winning three, losing two and drawing one in their opening 6 exchanges is a shame for a side brimming with quality.
However their previous games have been pretty impressive. Scoring 4 in one and 5 in the other, Madrid are can be said to be well back on track to challenge Barcelona for the title. The return of Crisitano Ronaldo's goal scoring form will come as a big boost for them. Moroever, Madrid has added Luka Modric for cover in the midfield and the Croatian will be out there to prove his 40 million price tag. So a bright performance can be expected of him. All in all Real Madrid look ready to challenge Barcelona but are they?
Strengths
The return of Cristiano Ronaldo and the revitalization of Kaka can prove disastrous for the opponents. After much speculation that the Brazilian would leave the club in the summer, Kaka has planned to prove his worth and has given some impressive performances, most recently being against Ajax in the Champions League. Ronaldo's back to back hat-tricks will surely re instill faith in the Madrid camp to repeat their last year's heroics at Nou Camp which won them the title.
The defence looks good having conceded only twice in the previous two. Moreover, having world class players everywhere on the pitch we can expect some bit of magic on Sunday night. The team like Barcelona is very strong and will provide the stern test for the Madrid side.
Weakness
Cristiano Ronaldo's latest announcement of he being unhappy at Real has added fuel to fire that he could soon be leaving the Los Blancos. To add to that the speculations of him being unhappy because of Iniesta winning the UEFA Player of the Year award might dent his confidence when he takes on the field against his old nemesis. Moreover, Madrid have not looked convincing except for their previous two matches and have leaked in too many goals for their own comfort. Considering the previous campaigns, going 8 points behind in this game can have the psychological disadvantage as they might feel that they have already lost the title.
The pressure will take its toll as a loss here would all but end Madrid's title ambitions.
Importance of a win
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| Who will prove to be the nail in the coffin for the other team?
Its a very important game for both the teams. On one hand its a question of keeping alive their title charge whereas on the other its a question of finishing off the job and putting one hand on the trophy at such a nascent stage of the competition. Madrid would want the win more than their rivals as this will not only spur their title challenge but also help them gain momentum after a bad run of games in the League. Its a must win for them. For Barcelona it is about showing that life after Pep can still continue at Nou Camp and that the hunger for trophies has not died.
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To raise the stakes a mini battle awaits- Ronaldo v/s Messi. Again an opportunity for both to prove who is superior. They will be at the top of their game to cancel each other out and win the game for their team.
The Final Verdict
A roaring Nou Camp will provide much comfort to the home team and will surely act as the twelfth player. A game dominated by Barcelona will be on the cards and both teams will look to create a lot of opportunities. Nou Camp has been Barcelona's fortress and Tito's men would love to keep that going. A wonderful spectacle to watch with loads of magic on the field can be expected. Madrid fans would like to believe that they will provide a stern test to their arch rivals and a draw would be a fair result but a 3-1 victory for Barca could well end Madrid's hopes.
Written By,
Rishabh Ghai
Rishabh is a writer for Goal.com India, International (all English editions) and an Editor and writer for 18 Yard Box
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