Injuries to Real Madrid and the winning spirit of Messi
The match between Barcelona and Real Madrid was without exaggeration waiting for the whole of Spain. The teams were supposed to meet on October 26, but the game was postponed to December 18 due to mass protests in Barcelona. Added to el-clasico intrigue and the fact that the teams approached him, sharing leadership in the standings Examples. Moreover, in the last round both teams lost points simultaneously. “Barcelona” broke the world with “Real Sociedad”, and “Real” - with “Valencia”.
However, the hosts could be called the favorites of the confrontation. And the point is not only that they played at home, but also a lot of injuries from the opponent. In the derby, Zinedine Zidane could not count on Marcelo, James Rodriguez, Lucas Vazquez, Eden Azar and Marco Asensio. At the same time, his counterpart Ernesto Valverde missed only Arthur Ramos and Usman Dembele. Despite this, the Frenchman did not lose heart and declared that he knew how to beat Barca.
“We are waiting for a football match in which the teams will play 11 on 11. We know who we have to meet and what kind of player they have in the person of Lionel Messi, but we have our own weapons. We want to successfully play in tomorrow's match, ”quoted AS Zidane.
In turn, Messi explained why Barcelona are better away playing with Real Madrid than at home.
“Real” is attacking more, because the position of the owner obliges the team to do this, the stands are driving forward. They play differently at Camp Nou - they go down lower, act denser and counterattack more, using the speed of their attackers. At the Bernabeu we play 90 minutes on equal terms. At Camp Nou, the matches will be more closed and complex, ”quotes Messi Marca.
This time, “Real” had to try to win the first victory in El Clasico from August 2017 on the road. And in the Example, Madrid for the last time beat Barca in April 2016, and this was also a meeting at Camp Nou.
The current derby turned out to be special for the captain of the “royal club” Sergio Ramos. It became the 43rd defender in his career for the defender, and by this indicator he went around such legends as Manuel Machis, Paco Hento and Xavi.
As for the starting line-up of Barcelona, Sergio Busquets unexpectedly was not in it. The central midfielder initially got to the base, but remained on the bench due to poor health, and his place on the field was taken by Luca Modric. Only Arturo Vidal got into the reserve. According to Spanish media reports, the Chilean footballer was so disappointed with Valverde’s decision that he went straight from the Barcelona base in anger. However, Vidal still appeared on the bench, and after the break he even came on as a substitute for Nelson Semedu.
Crazy kick advantage for guests and sharing of dangerous moments
The match as host was more active than the start of Barcelona. Wards Valverde in the first minutes managed to press the opponent to the gate and conduct several promising attacks on the left flank.
But the first dangerous moment was created by Real. After a corner kick, Casemiro struck his head into the empty far corner, but Gerard Pique delivered the ball from the “ribbon”. At the same time, Clement Langle in his own penalty area spiked into Rafael Varan’s leg. The judge ignored this episode, and the French defender thwarted his anger at Jordi Alba. However, a serious brawl was avoided.
“Real”, by the middle of the first half, completely seized the initiative and, thanks to competent pressure, did not allow the opponent to launch quick attacks. Madrid gained a solid advantage in terms of the number of strokes - 12 against three.
But in terms of the number of moments, the teams were approximately equal. The hosts responded to Casemiro with a shot by Messi at an empty target. If Barca saved Piquet at the beginning of the match, then Real Madrid was bailed out by Ramos. Finally, at the very end of the half, Jordi Alba, after an amazing transfer of Messi from close range, did not get into the far corner.
Guests were also remembered for several powerful long-range shots. In particular, after one of them, performed by the same Casemiro, Marc-Andre ter Stegen with great difficulty transferred the ball to the corner.
Field scored with balls and a minimum of chances
The second half turned out even less rich in dangerous moments. Perhaps the most memorable event was the action of supporters of the independence of Catalonia. At the 56th minute, they threw balls at the field, and it took the stewards some time to remove foreign objects.
As for the game moments, the most memorable is the canceled goal of Gareth Bale 20 minutes before the end. The Welshman received the ball from Ferlan Mendy in the absolutely correct position and sent it to the net, but the French defender himself was offside, as determined by the VAR system.
And a little earlier, the very same Bale, after transferring a partner, hit hard from the left corner of the box, but did not hit the near nine. “Barcelona” in the second half did not really bother Thibaut Kurt. Unless after an hour of the game Messi with Luis Suarez failed to inflict sensible punches, being in someone else's penalty area. Ramos blocked the shot of the Uruguayan at the last moment, and the striker tried to convince the judge that the opponent played in his leg, but he remained adamant.
Not much affected the course of the meeting and replacements. None of the players who entered the field from the bench really strengthened the game. And in stoppage time, the teams did not even try to score.
Thus, for the first time in 17 years, El Classico ended in a goalless draw. In November 2002, the teams also failed to hit each other’s gates in the Examples match at Camp Nou. They remained with their own and at the end of 2019. At least until the next round, teams will continue to share first place in the league table of the championship of Spain.