Liga Preview: Real Madrid-Barcelona
Having turned their season around with a 15 match unbeaten run, Barcelona travel to the Bernabeu on Sunday with real hope of gaining a first win over Real Madrid in enemy territory since 1997. With just five games remaining, the Catalans lie third seven points behind Sunday's opponents, and leaders Valencia who are tied on 70 points at the top of the table. Champions Real may have turned the corner, however, with a 2-1 win at Atletico in the local derby bringing them back level on points with Valencia who had yet another refereeing decision go against them in a feisty 2-2 draw at home to Real
Having turned their season around with a 15 match unbeaten run, Barcelona travel to the Bernabeu on Sunday with real hope of gaining a first win over Real Madrid in enemy territory since 1997. With just five games remaining, the Catalans lie third seven points behind Sunday's opponents, and leaders Valencia who are tied on 70 points at the top of the table. Champions Real may have turned the corner, however, with a 2-1 win at Atletico in the local derby bringing them back level on points with Valencia who had yet another refereeing decision go against them in a feisty 2-2 draw at home to Real Sociedad.
The Gran Classico is always the biggest game in the Spanish calendar, regardless of league position. However, it has to be said, both sides are usually at the top of the table when they collide, and for a while this season it seemed as if this particular edition of the series would simply be about Real Madrid and their quest for the title. However, Frank Rijkaard seems to have settled in to his new role in Catalunya, and has Barca pressing for at least third position in the table and a Champions League place. The signing of Edgar Davids in the transfer window has proved an inspired move, and the form of Ronaldinho has given Barcelona an exciting glamour that was seemingly lacking previously.
Hosts Real won the corresponding fixture 2-1 earlier in the season, and made that particular victory harder for themselves than it needed to be. Rijkaard was accused of tactical naivety in his approach to the game, and will hardly make the same mistake twice. Barcelona only attacked the champions when they went two goals down, and the whirlwind unleashed on Real in the last 15 minutes showed just how poor a decision that was. However, 15 unbeaten matches speak for themselves, and Barcelona travel full of confidence.
Real, by contrast, will be hoping the victory over Atletico, which was considered fortunate by many, will be the catalyst to a successful run to the title. With Deportivo at Riazor next weekend, the champions know they must keep pace with Valencia through this series of major confrontations. Having clawed two points back from Valencia after the derby, Real may yet see last weekend's victory as the final positive turning point in their discredited season. Zinedine Zidane has been complaining of tiredness, and David Beckham is ineffective in his current role, while Raul has had his most subdued season in memory. Perhaps he is missing his erstwhile partner in crime Fernando Morientes?
The build up to the big game has been overshadowed by the will he, won't he saga of a certain Brazilian striker's fitness. Doubts persist over the return of Ronaldo who had seemed set to start until a minor recurrence of his thigh injury during training on Friday sent Madrid hacks into a tizzy, and their Barca counterparts into froths of joy. Ronaldo, should he play, is one of two Real stars confronting their former club on Sunday, the other being Luis Figo. Ivan Helguera is likely to plug the defensive gap left by the suspended Francisco Pavon as Alvar Mejia is struggling with a leg injury.
Barcelona are likely to be at full strength and welcome back Luis Enrique to the squad. The former Spanish international is a talisman in such games against his former club, and scored in Barca's last win here, a 3-2 success seven years ago.
PROBABLE TEAMS:
Real Madrid: Casillas, Salgado, Roberto Carlos, Helguera, Raul Bravo, Guti, Beckham, Figo, Zidane, Raul, Ronaldo.
Barcelona: Victor Valdes, Reiziger, Puyol, Oleguer, van Bronckhurst, Davids, Cocu, Luis Garcia, Ronaldinho, Xavi, Saviola.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
David Beckham (Real Madrid)
The contrast between Barcelona's supposed first-choice transfer target of last summer, David Beckham, and his replacement Ronaldinho will be one of the many irrestisible sub-texts of Sunday's game. While Beckham started well at the Bernabeu, he has struggled since Christmas once the novelty of his arrival had worn off. Personal issues hang over his head now, and he has found the going tough in an unbalanced Real midfield lacking a naturally combative defensive lynchpin.
Ronaldinho (Barcelona)
Along with Edgar Davids, Ronaldinho's form has proved to be the catalyst in resucitating Barcelona's comatose season. Now, the Brazilian World Cup winner faces the ultimate test of his celebrity in Spanish football: performing in the biggest match of all and delivering the goods. With no defensive midfielders to hinder his trickery, the stage is set for Ronaldinho to upstage the man who he would have replaced at Old Trafford and who he did replace at Camp Nou.
Alfonso Pérez Burrull (The Referee)
Well, given the hugely contentious decisions we have seen in the title race this season, the eyes of Spain will be on the man in the middle. Every decision will be scrutinised, every interpretation viewed with scepticism. Senor Pérez Burrull is entrusted with the biggest clash of the season – and his career. Valencia will watch his performance with interest.