This Act III of the series of "clasicos" which pitted FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, was expected by all Europe football. Even if Barca, winning 2-0 at the Bernabeu, made a big step towards the final of the Champions League, the summit has finally given birth to a mouse.
In his den the Santiago-Bernabeu, Real Madrid, Mourinho has opted expected to refuse the game and wait for his opponent to trap it against the best. The strategy of "Soft" does not work. Worse, it has sealed his team and especially given the "clasico" a bitter taste, where the physical commitment took precedence over the talents of 22 actors.
On the ground, the tactical duel between Mourinho and Guardiola has materialized into open warfare.By the half, the goalkeeper of Barcelona, Pinto was sent off after an altercation with Arbeloa in the corridor leading to the locker room.
At the hour mark, defender Pepe also distinguished himself by engaging in an actual attack on Dani Alves and won a red turn. Mourinho exceeded, then went after the refereeing corps and was expelled in the wake.
Three "facts of the game" finally culmination of a meeting that never gave way to the beautiful game it promised on paper.And that would almost double from Messi anecdotal, although it will obviously be a determining factor in sporting terms.
2-0 away winners, the Catalans have a foot and a half in the final. And Real will have to show something in the return match in a week if he wants to double its eternal rival in the race for the final of the Champions League.
Clashes in series
Faced with Madrid encamped in defense, Barca took the game very logically to his account from the start. Xavi reserved the first chance of the game by clearing a heavy strike from 30 meters in the axis.Casillas, well placed, capturing the carefree leather (5th).
In the aftermath, Real managed to react, but the attempt of Cristiano Ronaldo, eccentric left, fleeing through the Catalans (6e).
The quarter-hour mark, the match had already significantly muscular. In this flood of rough action, David Villa was trying to turn realize the dominance of Blaugrana. Upon receipt of a beautiful opening signed Xavi, former Valencian transplanted into the shaft and arming a curling shot that passed within inches of cage Madrid (12th).
As we approach the half-hour mark, Barça had clearly taken an advantage over his rival (82% of possession), but was always vague in the area of truth.Xavi, again served by Messi was on the verge of scoring the right but his shot from 6 meters was easily repelled by Casillas (26th).
Paradoxically, the Real, curled up until then was close to making a difference in stoppage time of the first period. Cristiano fired in a sublime strike that difficult Valdes repelled along the axis. Ozil, receiving, striking turn toward the goal, but Valdes was able finally to deflect the ball of the right foot (45 '+1).
Messi savior
In the second half, the match resumed on the same pace, with a wait-Real who was content to proceed against and block offensive Catalan.
The expulsion of Pepe in the 61st minute, would tilt the game.Seven minutes after the attack on Madrid's Dani Alves, Pedro, head repeated a deflected shot from Villa but missed the target. And from the start of the last quarter of an hour, hello Barca's Messi would eventually come.
Afellay on center, the Argentine prodigy managed to deflect the ball and catapult into the nets of Casillas in the silence of Bernabeu (76th). And the nightmare would continue even for Madrid.Ten minutes later, Messi, party of 45 feet, dribbling four defenders and arming a superb diagonal shot along the ground which had deceived Casillas (87th).
The end game in an atmosphere poisonous, at least had the merit of taking place in relative calm.
Remains with only two goals conceded at home, Real now has every chance to leave the Champions League next week at Camp Nou. If he wants to reverse the trend, he will make a copy much more successful and find the arguments that have allowed the weekend, to blaze in Valencia (6-3).
